


Unsuspected Paths

by doubtthestars



Series: my heart on my sleeve [1]
Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Footy Ficathon, Gen, M/M, Platonic Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-01
Updated: 2014-11-10
Packaged: 2018-02-19 11:53:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 33,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2387354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doubtthestars/pseuds/doubtthestars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It wasn't a surprise to anyone when Lukas turned up with Monika to the farewell party but no one expected him to show up without his cuffs and a megawatt smile saying, "I found another soulmate!"</p><p>Marco honestly wanted to punch him in the face but figured it wouldn't be polite being the host and all. A crash in the kitchen made him rethink the whole party idea but it was just his luck he lived in an off-campus apartment with one of the nicest, most sociable guy he's ever met.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by the footie ficathon prompt.
> 
> Title taken from You Who Never Arrived by Rilke

The whole soulmate thing was overrated and if Marco could make himself sit down long enough to write a thesis on it, he would have one less thing to worry about this term, but unfortunately or fortunately(depending on who you ask) the world would not get to see his sparkling wit against the phenomenon known as fated coupling by homo sapiens sapiens. 

It was all evolution, some stupid protein variable under the dermis that happen to be by the radial artery or in some weird cases the carotid(which he happened to see once and he swore to all the gods in the world that if Poldi wasn't one of those people, he would eat his damn cuff with some anchovies to boot.) No one could really predict the science behind it besides something to do with blood flow, eye contact, and pulse points. Marco wasn't in the medical field but he had read up extensively on the subject to counteract any wishy-washy nonsense Andre liked to spew when he was too deep into his cups and lamentation. 

He wasn't against the whole finding an ideal personal relationship but the idea of having to choose that person solely on some magical property of his body felt cheap. Besides, it didn't always work. Ultimately, it was up to the people in that relationship to get along, not just for the honeymoon phase but for the rest of their lives. A recognized bond was as good as a marriage license in some countries. It had become a hot button topic in the United States as same-sex bonds had been debated in the election campaigns. Germany had been of the school of thought: if you want this recognized, do the mountain of paperwork.

Mats had been the first to tackle that metaphorical mountain with Benni. They had been together since birth, their mothers liked to joke. Months apart but always joined at the hip, and Marco believed it. Mats was Marco's best friend but Benni was a whole lot more and maybe Marco was a bitter old maid about having to share Mats(even if Benni knew him first) but it wasn't his fault he hoarded his friends like a dragon did gold. 

He was just built that way and blaming whatever higher power that made the silly notion of soulmates suited him just fine. 

"Oi, zombie at the desk with the floppy hair and the Dortmund cuff, I'm kidnapping you for lunch!" Marco groaned in a very apt fashion for the living dead as the cursor on his screen blinked mockingly at him. 

"It's a common room, not a concert. My hair's not that floppy. I had to get up at the asscrack of dawn to make sure I could print and deliver a paper to Klinsmann. Remind me to spend my meager savings on getting a new printer." Andre slapped his back and practically dragged him out of his chair.

"Meager, he says, I'm the one who works at a grocer's. I'll treat you to that sandwich place you like because my friend, your hair is definitely floppy and you're too cheap to buy a new printer." The younger man swept up the laptop and papers into the black bag that had been Marco's faithful companion through his undergrad and had seen many semesters of cramped handwriting. The shiny blue cuff on Andre's wrist reminded Marco to pick up a new one as soon as possible. His cuff was fraying and had seen better days without getting wine spilled on it by some random barfly. 

The cuffs had been dated back to the monks of the Anglo-Saxon era, of course now there was all sorts of customization and different materials, not just animal hide tied around your wrist. Why it took so long for people to cotton on to the idea of hiding their bare wrists or not so bare wrists was a question for the ages and something Marco routinely wondered when people-watching like the creep Andre always accused him of being. 

There was a system of color-coding back in the day and a rhyme to go with it but Marco had stuck to his Dortmund cuff since he was 15 which happened to be one of the things that caught Mats' attention as they became super best friends. They had an alliance against Benni and Julian as the superior team supporters. They had even bought each other limited edition Dortmund cuffs(that had cost them an arm and a leg in those murky teenage years) for one Christmas that Marco uses solely for that occasion(red and green be damned). 

"There's your favorite waiter." His other best friend elbowed him with his bony limb as they crossed the street to the little specialty shop. Marco had been wool-gathering for the whole journey and suddenly felt the urge to pull up the hood of his sweatshirt and scowl, but fought against the instinctual "turtling" as Kevin had described it one afternoon.

"You're like a turtle. A giant human snapping turtle who will bite the hand that feeds him baby lettuce and spinach or whatever they eat." Mats burst out laughing at Kevin's statement. Benni contemplated it for a second from his perch on the only comfortable chair in the room. "I mean....sometimes when you get that sour look on your face, like when your mom nags you about getting out more and looking for that "special someone", you make a pretty convincing turtle face." Mats high-fived his soulmate and Kevin nodded as if he had proven ducks could quack.

"His sweatshirts could be like his turtle shell," came a shout from the other room overlapping the sounds of Super Smash Bros. 

"No one wants your damn opinion Schurrle!" Marco volleyed back but knew he had lost the battle as the rest of the room chuckled.

The aforementioned waiter was handing a couple the receipt and a leftovers box in the outside section of the bistro. Marco had known it was a terrible idea to drink enough to put down a horse and spill all of his dumb little secrets to his equally dumb friends but unfortunately, he had finally finished a terrible courseload and decided to celebrate said freedom by getting wasted. 

He was firmly in the bisexual camp, but it was on a need-to-know basis, definitely a certain clearance level of friendship to unlock his tragic backstory type of thing. There wasn't much of a history and he wasn't overly fond of sharing but The Waiter definitely fit his type. 

"Sunshine coming out of their ass is not a quality and frankly, you might need to get your head checked. Who the hell uses, 'a sunny personality' to describe anyone anymore. Marco, I swear you're a 40 year old cat lady under that hot body and fauxhawk."  
The dark-haired devil he called a best friend remarked after Marco tried to use words to express his attraction to The Waiter. 

"I hate you." Mats just faked a laugh like he was joking about the hatred pouring out of his soul. "Look, buddy, babe, compadre, I hate avocado, I hate Schalke blue unless Benni is wearing it. I hate that face my mom makes when she mentions matchmaking and my brother in the same sentence. I'm pretty sure every Hummels male hates that face actually BUT my point is, you don't hate me. You love me for being the bestest friend ever and letting you vent about your pining for waiter dude."

Marco crossed his arms like a child not cooperating with getting dressed for sunday church.

"Look, you want my advice? Go for it. You never get anywhere with just talk, trust me on that. So the dude has a smile like the sun or whatever, you ain't gonna get that sun if you don't say more than hello when you go into that damn shop." 

Andre slapped him on the back as a bored cashier looked at him, waiting for an order. He really needed to stop getting distracted. 

"Sorry about him, exams, you know?" Andre winked at the girl and she gave him an unimpressed look. Marco silently apologized as he ordered his usual and ushered Andre to the side counter for pick ups. The taller man protested as he didn't get to order from the wonderful and very patient cashier in very loud tones. Marco slapped a hand into his friend's diaphragm to make him shut up and stop embarrassing them in public. 

"Go back in line if you want to get something, you idiot." Andre staggered back, as if he were wounded and signed his sad defeat , slinking into the queue to flirt some more with the poor girl. He was more of a nuisance if turned down at first. Marco completely believed his friend was a sheepdog in a past life. He drummed his fingers against the counter, waiting for another glimpse of The Waiter or his food to arrive and was treated with both in a mortifying way. 

The Waiter came from the back, looking a bit squeamish as he took the few short steps to the counter and Marco. 

"Oh hey, Chicken BLT with onions and special sauce, for you, right?" He looked around a bit to see if there were any other customers hanging about as Marco stood awkwardly with his arms akimbo, shifting from a foot to the other. 

"Hey, I mean yes, that's for me. Sorry..." he trailed off in hopes for a name as he grabbed the wrapped sandwich (Mats had tried multiple times to find out the mystery waiter's name to no avail, and to the almost banishment from the establishment.) Andre crashed into him like an overexcited puppy and made him drop the sandwich onto himself in a fumble worth an amateur comedy skit. 

"Shit, Andre, you dumbass, why'd you have to-" Cashier girl looked as if she wanted to skin Andre with a rusty spoon and The Waiter looked a little shocked at the sauce staining Marco's hoodie. 

"Um, I'll go get napkins." Andre offered sheepishly and took his long legs as far away from the small commotion. Cashier girl still looked murderous as she sharply called out a name.

"Mario! I can't exactly go get the mop right now. Stop standing there like you've never seen a mess before." She gestured to the steadily growing line in front of her and Marco frowned at the tone and tugged at the lining of his cuff, grimacing as he picked a piece of lettuce off of it. That was the final straw. He shut his eyes tightly as he took a deep breath, counting backwards from ten. He was at three when The Waiter-well Mario, thanks to the grumpy cashier-cleared his throat.

"Uh, I can-I'll get you another sandwich. Do you want to clean up while I, you know, clean this?" Of course, Marco was just standing there trying not to lose his cool in the middle of the mess that the-Mario needed to clean up.

I'm officially an idiot and Mats will never let me live this down. He nodded and walked into the single bathroom and locked it. Looking at his exhausted reflection, Marco wanted to turtle up and die. As far as first impressions go, this was a colossal fuck up. He sighed and shook his floppy-haired head. Turning on the tap, he tried to wash the remains of his sandwich off his sweatshirt but it was no use. It stunk and as delicious as it was on the food, it was not great for clothes. He scrubbed the surface of his cuff with the hand soap on the sink and decided to find Andre to get out of the bistro, food be damned. 

Andre was talking to Mario, holding a bag and being as friendly with him as he would with anybody. It didn't help Marco's mood at all. He slouched a bit, feeling exposed without his sweatshirt and wearing the tight shirt that may have been about two years old and a present from Mats and Benni. 

It had Han Solo on it, with the words 'I'm a buns man' across it. Mats liked to buy him a size smaller clothes because, "if you've got it, flaunt it, babe." 

He had to do his laundry more often, he decided as he watched Mario's face pink with a spreading blush. He felt his ears burn as Andre choked down a laugh. 

"Marco, Mario graciously bagged our food this time so we wouldn't have a repeat accident. I was just telling him that you work with kids down in the sports club and Mario swims there. What a weird coincidence right?" Andre kept babbling but Marco couldn't concentrate on anything but Mario. 

"You like Star Wars?" He asked Marco somewhat shyly, looking at something behind the blond. Marco nodded and stumbled over something to say but couldn't get his mouth to cooperate. How do you talk to someone you've wanted to talk for months but hadn't had the balls to until you made a fool of yourself?

"He loves it. Makes everybody marathon it at least once a year. Do you like it?" He wasn't sure if he was grateful or angry about Andre's interruption. Looking up, Mario met his eyes and smiled brightly. "Yeah, uh, my brothers and I all do." Marco felt like his heart was gonna burst out of his chest in a few seconds. It was completely insane how much he wanted to see that smile directed at him again. 

"Do you watch it in release order or story order?" Andre rolled his eyes at the question but stood back as he had done his job of getting the ball rolling. He also fiddled with his phone, trying to find a way to silence the camera sound on his phone and simultaneously alert Mats to the new development. 

"Neither, Machete order. We wanted to try it out on my younger brother and we liked it so much that's the only way we can watch it now." Marco felt like he was being punked as he laughed and rose his hand for a high five.

"Yes, it's really the only way to get the full effect of the Darth Vader is Luke's father bit. It sets up the story so well, how could you not like it?" Mario agreed as he slapped his hand hard against Marco's and then looked at the Dortmund cuff on his left wrist briefly before biting his lip. 

"Would you-do you want-I have a, an extra cuff in the back if you want to...?" Mario trailed off and looked past Marco again. "I mean, you got yours dirty, I have a spare. It just a cheap black one but it's clean and I feel bad, I mean, I should've bagged your sandwich..." Marco felt a bit faint, maybe paralyzed by what Mario said. Andre coughed loudly over a shutter sound as he gave himself an internal pep talk. 

It wasn't odd. He knew exactly the kind of cuff Mario was talking about, durable enough but ultimately disposable in dull "working" colors. Marco never went without a cuff. He didn't feel right without one, no matter what it seemed like to people. Most of the adult world would take off their cuffs once they got their soulmate's name on it, but Marco didn't even know if he had a name on his wrist. He hadn't checked since he hit puberty. After his "rebellious youth," as his mother liked to say, Marco decided it didn't matter if he did have a name because he would find someone without a hand dealt by fate and that was that. 

Changing cuffs wasn't a big deal, and it wasn't like he was sharing it with Mario. He needed to get a new one anyway. It was alright. He could just toss it later on. 

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have asked." Mario blurted out, back-tracking physically as if waiting for a meltdown. Marco felt calm, calmer than he should have, considering the disastrous day he's had and being in front of his crush in his I-couldn't-muster-up-the-effort-to-look-presentable-clothes. 

"No, it's okay. I mean, yes, please. I was going to buy another one as soon as I got done with classes but that would help a lot." He even tacked on a smile after the longest possible sentence he's ever spoken to The Waiter now known as Mario. 

"Alright, I'll go get it, then." Mario walked backwards and then spun around to go behind the counter and into the kitchen area. 

"What was that? You smooth son of a gun!" Andre whisper-shouted as he sent rapid-fire texts to possibly everyone he knew and was friends with. Marco was going to take a hammer to that phone and to Andre's big head once they got back to campus. 

Andre felt his danger senses tingle when he looked up from his phone to Marco's evil face and put his hands up in surrender. Mats owed him a bloody round after this if he was going to sustain bodily injuries. Scratch that, he owed him it anyway for getting Marco out of his hoodie and talking to the infamous waiter. 

"Look, mate, you're doing great without me. We even have lunch to go. I promise no more interfering. Scouts honor." Marco scoffed at that, knowing his best friend had never been near a camp ground nevertheless been in any scout group. 

"If I believe you, you better not post that picture you obviously took on Instagram." Andre shifted, he hadn't put it on Instagram but he had forwarded it to all of their mutual friends. God knows where that's going to get to.

"I sent it to Mats. You can't hold me responsible for whatever Mats does with that picture. I've been good to you. I'm your best friend. Have mercy," he pleaded. Marco's face spoke of dark and terrible things until Mario bounded up to them with his spare cuff. Andre saw a one-eighty in demeanor and figured he could use that as an advantage as long as Mario was there. Part B of the Plan would have to wait. 

"Here you go. I have to go back there, Sven is swamped and I think Anna is going to kill me with the power of her mind." Andre brightened up at the name Anna and scribbled his number on a napkin.

"Can you pass this on to her? I think she's got a great intimidation technique. Maybe I can learn a few pointers from her." Marco mentally slapped Andre upside the head. He turned his hand to face the ground and quickly unsnapped the dirty, old cuff off his wrist to put the new one on. Mario took the napkin from Andre and looked back at Marco. 

"Bye. See you around?" Marco nodded as he tightened the velcro strap some more. He felt strange. Maybe he was getting a cold. 

"Nice meeting you! We'll be back." Andre called out as he pulled Marco out of the crowded establishment and across the street. "Now, I know you're a complete idiot, but the least you could've done was say goodbye. He definitely was checking you out while you were off in la-la land." Marco gave him a dirty look. 

"Don't think you're off the hook, and how would you know if he was checking me out?" Andre had to have pulled a muscle rolling his eyes as hard as he did. 

"Because I have eyes. It's not that hard to tell, you look up and down and appreciate. Not rocket science. It doesn't matter if it's a dude or a lady." Marco shoved him for that and took the food from his hands. 

"Shut up, I'm starving."


	2. Rumor Has It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lukas Podolski was looking for his soul-bro, because it was Podolski legacy to have more than one name on your arm and he was determined to find that other person.
> 
> He wasn't saying Monika wasn't enough, because he loved her and they would probably settle down once their careers weren't so...everywhere all at once. But he was missing something, like a friend or a brother and he knew deep down, he would never be complete without that person, even if Monika didn't understand.
> 
> Lukas Podolski wanted something more than love.

Lukas Podolski was at a photoshoot for the McQueen of Spain, Jose Mourinho and he was up to his eyeballs in hatred for the man. He insisted on stomping all over the director and photographer. It was a madhouse catering to the Emperor of Spain fashion and Lukas wanted no part of it. He rubbed the supple leather of his flesh-colored cuff in frustration as another five minute break was implemented for the "Emperor" to fly into a rage.

He sighed as he went back to make-up for a touch up and dialed Monika's number. She was in Finland for a charity she worked with and he hoped he would catch her in the small pocket of free time they've had since they were teenagers in the breakout model roles.

It was a whirlwind he mostly enjoyed. He loved modeling and using his fame to help be a voice, but sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if it was the right path for him. Micha was good to him as an agent, he took no prisoners and gave Prinz Poldi's conditions for every contract, take, or runway without fault. Mourinho was adamantly against his number one condition: covered wrists or he walks. 

"How did it go with Jose?" Monika's voice soothed his ruffled feathers. Poldi knew she was his soulbond as soon as they met as relative unknowns working a small shoot together. The media ate it up as the ascended into the best shows in the fashion world. It was a fairy tale for them. Teenage sweethearts, now the toast of Germany's cat walks. Lukas didn't have any shame showing skin but he considered his wrists sacred ground. 

His grandparents had instilled values that most modern day guys would scoff at. Monika had thought it was sweet if not a bit old-fashioned. She had no qualms with baring her wrist and Lukas didn't fault her for that. It wasn't a secret they were together and had many joint shoots in the name of love for it. 

"He's insane, a madman. He wants me to show my wrists. It's a damn suit campaign, not a watch deal. He's been shouting for an hour and hasn't stopped leering at me." Monika shuffled her phone around as the line went static for a bit. 

"Ah, I've heard he's a bit of a hard bargainer. He likes playing mind games or so Iker tells me. I'm sure he's just pushing buttons to see how far he can go." Lukas stood up from the chair and walked towards the catering table to steady his restless legs. He would rather just fly back to Germany to see after his grandmother's health than stay here with the bloody Emperor of Spain making spittle rain down on his servants.

"What are you doing talking to Iker?" Lukas teased as he looked over his options for an early lunch. It was a spread of cold cuts and cheeses along with assorted staples like fruit and yogurt. He picked up grapes and cherries, imagining tiny Mourinho heads with every bite.

"Oh, you know, this and that, mostly your fantastic butt." Lukas chuckled as he felt the tension leave his shoulders. He wasn't jealous of Monika working with the best of the best. She reveled in going to new places while Lukas was more of a homebody with London being the base of operations for Micha. He had steady contracts and line-ups while Monika cherry-picked her shoots. Lukas didn't have a deceitful bone in his body and no matter what the tabloid cooked up in their relationship(mostly rampant speculation on why they hadn't filed for a recognition yet) he knew he could count on her to be there.

"I didn't know Iker swung that way, sweetheart." 

"Have you seen you? I think you can make any straight man doubt himself." Monika knew the best way to help Lukas with his stress was to make him laugh, which she had definitely succeeded in as his end of the line was filled with guffaws and coughs.

"I should go see if they need me. Love you." He got a 'love you too' in response and set his shoulders straight to give Mourinho an ultimatum and a lesson on why he was called a Prince.

He could play a game just as well as any other but on his terms.

\---

"Ooh chocolate mousse with strawberries on top. We should get some of that, Bene-bunny, we could bring some back for Jonas." Mats jumped up and down slightly, touching the glass pane of the display case of the bakery like a child poking at everything he wanted.

"Stop that. I knew we should've rescheduled. You're all hyped up on sugar from our last appointment." Benedikt Hoewedes grabbed his partner's hand and interlocked their fingers so he wouldn't have a chance to smear more fingerprints. Mats frowned at the reminder of the terrible time they had at the last catering place they visited. The man in charge was clearly behind the times and out to fleece customers of their money. Mats had taken his sweet time to taste-test any and all cakes available just to get back at the hack. It resulted in a hyperactive six foot man in the best bakery in Munich, or so Jonas swore it was.

There was no mistaking them for anything but boyfriends now and the short man that came out of the back with an apron and smelling of apples and sugar took note of their hands and kept his stern expression before asking if they were his 4:00.

"Yes, we're the Hummels-Hoewedes party." Benedikt spoke softly but firmly, not knowing if they were going to get dismissed.

"Alright, come with me. I'm just finishing up some pies. Do you have a cake in mind or do you want to taste samples?" Philipp Lahm had a stern set to his face and wasn't exactly the friendliest man he'd seen with a rolling pin but Mats had a feeling he was an alright sort. 

"No samples, I think we've decided on chocolate espresso cake with mocha buttercream frosting." Benni looked to Mats and he agreed with a nod. Philipp looked faintly impressed at already having a choice in mind, but other than his oddly-expressive eyebrows, he kept a steady gaze on the couple.

"I have a individual molten chocolate espresso cakes you can try. Obviously, not the same, but an approximate to texture and taste. When is the event and where is it going to be held?" Mats bounced slightly in his seat. Benedikt didn't have to be a mind-reader to know he wanted to try it. 

"Sure, we'll have one to share. It's in a month, if that's alright with your schedule?" The baker raised an eyebrow and laughed.

"You gonna move your whole party for the baked goods? I like you, Hummels." Mats' knee-jerk reaction was to look up, then he realized Lahm was referring to his soon to be husband and smiled. 

"It's Hoewedes, for now."

\---

Marco was looking for a new place now that Benni and Mats were tying the knot in a few weeks, officially becoming Lebenspartners. He tried craigslist, but the last ad he answered didn't end well. The guy answered the door naked and he saw some nail guns in the room. He quickly used an excuse to get out of the situation. Door-to door salesman pitch out of danger.

He periodically scanned the murals in the halls for a vacancy or roommate needed sign, but didn't find anything until that wednesday afternoon.

"Looking for roommate, has to be neat and good at video games. No cooking experience needed, but a good bonus. Great rate, one room with shared bathroom. Serious inquiries only to m.goetze at edu address."

Marco shrugged and took the detachable slip, giving this one a shot wouldnt be any worse than the craigslist openings. He was pretty good with FIFA and Halo but absolutely hated Mario Kart after Andre's freakishly good abilities made him a winner every single time. The edu address seemed to be a good indication that he was at least a student of the university and not some crackpot out for his money. 

He tapped out an email request for more information through his phone and hoped for a better result than the others. He wouldnt mind paying a bit of a steeper price if it was a ration human being behind the email address and flier. 

It wasn't like he hated living with Benni and Mats, but he clearly needed to find his own space without interfering in theirs. At this stage in their life, they didnt need a third wheel tagging along as they started a new stage. Mats had begged Marco to stay at least until the term was over but the blond was stubborn and wanted this to be his ultimate gift to the couple. Besides he really didn't want to hear them have sex anymore. No best friend wants to hear that ad infinitum. 

M.goetze would have to do in this case or Marco would have to be homeless for a bit. Maybe he could sleep in the library. He spent enough time in there as it is. 

Mario couldn't believe him when he said he had written a twenty-two page paper on the rampant prejudice in sports on married men versus single men when picking a line-up. Of course it also had to with the effect of soulbonded and non soulbonded marriages in popular media but Mario always made a face when Marco mentioned his somewhat cynical view on that subject.

Andre just sighed when he heard Marco give another tirade but Mario seemed personally offended by it. Their points of view differentiated on the meaning of a soulmate and Andre more often than not had to play referee for their quick words against each other. 

They hadnt spoken much since the first incident but Andre seemed to round out the group, being the Benvolio to his Mercutio and Mario's Romeo. And Andre even kept his word about letting whatever happen, do exactly that as he got to know the barely younger Mario. They all clicked into a group that worked well together and Marco had taken it as a good sign but hadn't had the courage to pursue something more than passing debates at the bistro with the other man.

Mats said he was hopeless and should kiss any man who sat through the explanation of his thesis without wanting to take a nap.

Marco, of course retaliated with 'journalism is just a micro lens of sociology anyway' and a mature two-fingered salute.

"Let's meet at Kirche Strasse by the bike rack at 4 and I'll show you the place." Marco read aloud as the email notification chimed. Well at least the meeting was somewhat in public and if the apartment was at biking distance, walking it wouldn't be too bad. He was a morning jogger anyway.

He had an hour to kill and decided to swing by the sandwich shop for a cup of coffee. It had taken a few visits for him to get use to Andre accompanying him to his favorite lunch haunt but now it felt strange to not go with him.

He had met Andre purely by chance as an assigned roommate in his freshman year and they had hit it off surprisingly well. Marco had taken the required time to warm up to the other man but after that, he felt comfortable enough to introduce him to Mats and Benni. They had even planned to live together after finishing their degrees, but Andre had taken an opportunity abroad at the time they had signed the lease so the quartet had been reduced to the trio or as Marco thought of it, the three musketeers.

As he neared the building, he texted Andre to meet up for dinner as he hadn't seen his best friend since he started an internship an hour away. Ludo's at seven would give him enough time to deal with the roommate situation and see if it was in his budget. 

Mario wasn't working since he had classes that day but Marco sat down in a chair outside anyway. The inside was mostly standing room with a table set up with extra condiments and sugar. It was getting too cold to use the outside parlor but Marco had done it partly out of habit and partly because Anna had taken to giving him a judging glace every time he went inside. He still wasn't sure if she had a resting bitch-face or if she really didn't like him but he wasn't about to find out. 

His coat(or peacoat as Mats would correct him from time to time) kept him plenty warm and the coffee would keep him that way as he walked aimlessly until the meet-up. 

The church bells rang loudly but Marco slipped his headphones on to keep it in the background. He hadn't been a church-goer since his mother stopped badgering him into it. He liked the aesthetic of the buildings. He appreciated the impact of religious organization on society but for the most part, he stayed away from actively participating. That had been another random topic they had discussed with Mario and it was when Marco had found out that Mario wasn't 100 percent straight. 

"Look, if churches would just recognize a soulbonded pair to be together without kicking up a fuss about whether it's between and man and woman or not, it would make the whole situation easier to manage by the state." Andre started trying to balance his plastic spoon on his nose in protest of the conversation. 

"The 'state' can't get their collective heads out of their asses. It has nothing to do whether it's 'right' in the eyes of God." Marco retaliated, flushed from the constant wind chill that had started up as the leaves decayed on the ground. Andre groaned and was ignored by both parties.

"How is it that you disagree with both getting recognition and the basic foundation of soulmates? You're just being contradictory." Mario countered and Marco laughed like a maniac, because of course he would find the one person in the world that wouldn't back down from trying to change his mind so damn attractive. 

"I'm not being contradictory. It perfectly goes with the fact that I can't agree with some higher power lining up some dominoes and letting them fall so I can find a name on my wrist and live happily ever after with or without the permission of an archaic rule book." Mario sighed and twisted the sleeve of his cup.

"Well, I'd like to get married on equal footing with a man or a woman. It's not fair that your best friends have to settle for less than that. They should have that option instead of just a recognition of partnership." Marco was about to spit back his typical life isn't fair diatribe while dressing down Mario's terrible argumentative style, but his brain froze at the playback of information.

Andre had even lifted up his head from where it was lying on the table to see both men silent and a bit peaky-looking. He snuck out his phone under the table and started texting furiously. Maybe _they_ would get their collective heads out of their asses and finally make a move.

Marco's ears felt like they were on fire as he opened his mouth and went on auto-pilot by blurting whatever came to mind.

"Equality isn't always just. They would probably muck it all up with more regulations on bonded couples and that doesn't take into account the ones with multiple names." He muttered, trying to drown out the white noise in his mind striking up at the man or woman comment. 

"No, I guess you're right." The conversation dwindled and Andre slammed his head back onto the table and gave a muffled sorry.

"I, uh, forgot I had an exam on Friday. I should go study." He lamely covered and stood up, cleaning his hands of the idiots at the table. Marco stood up with him and Mario didn't meet his eyes as they said their goodbyes.

Marco had felt like a complete ass about it really. He wasn't even sure if it was right for him to put so much effort into getting to know Mario, if he continually disagreed with his ideals. He didn't want to break the man's spirit and he wasn't going to change from his bitter old maid state of mind this late in the game. Mats had ruffled his hair when he recounted the argument and hadn't actually been crowing to the high heavens about love matches. He had just smiled and tactfully pointed out,

"He made you stop and think, buttercup. I don't think it's completely hopeless." 

Marco walked down a block and took a shortcut to the east edge of the campus to the bike rack and saw just the man he was thinking of.

"Mario?" he hesitated calling out as he saw the man with his back toward him unlocking a bike chain. He had a winter coat on with a fur collar and khaki shorts on which made him look ridiculously confused about the weather. The man straightened up and looked back.

"Marco?" 

\---

Monika had phoned him about a surprise visit in London in the morning after his terrible shoot with Mourinho. He was technically only going to be in London proper for three days and all he really wanted to do was kick back and sleep off his permanent jetlag into a state of functionality, but Monika had said she had some new developments happen in Finland and after worrying for a couple hours, she called him to reassure him they would meet at his place and she was bringing visitors.

So here he was, trying to keep his stomach from churning by eating all the finger foods he had asked Heidi to make before she left for the day. He was almost self-sufficient but figuring out h'orderves was really not his forte. He had slept for a little over half a day yesterday and went swimming for an hour or two to keep himself busy but the unsettling feeling didn't change. It was a bit like a tingling at his fingertips, an itching of the palms and he wished he had thought of calling his mother before this very moment. 

He was getting older and even the gossip rags pointed out he was sitting on his hands on proposing to Monika after this many years. What was he waiting for? But Lukas wasn't completely sure he was ready for that step. It was an unorthodox tradition in the Podolski line to have more than one soulmate. It was kept a family secret, and Lukas was proud of his heritage but it was an issue the modern world didn't know how to handle.

It was considered an abomination by the church. 

"Love? Are you in here?" Monika came into the foyer with a group of three, two men and a woman. The group was animatedly speaking in German and Lukas smiled at hearing the familiar tongue but felt ill when he caught the low voice laughing with the blond woman. 

He was uncomfortable hot, maybe he had caught a bug from the multiple venues he had been in. 

"Lukas! Look, I've brought some friends from Finland. One of the organizers had tickets to this beautiful ski lodge and I met Sarah in the sauna and her partner Tobias helped me with my skis." She gestured at the blond and the man to her left but the other one was left unannounced.

Lukas held out a hand, the itch had grown and he hoped his palm was not sweaty. The other man smiled and shook it firmly. 

"This is Bastian Schweinsteiger, olympic skier and Tobias' brother." Monika's voice sounded like it was in a wind tunnel as Lukas stared straight into Bastian's eyes. A prickling sensation crawled up his left arm and he broke out into goosebumps. There was a sharp startled noise coming from Sarah as she pointed at Lukas and he faintly figured maybe she had realized exactly who he was until Monika grabbed his arm.

"Lukas...your arm," Bastian looked down and Lukas naturally followed his eyes to the arm in question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any suggestions or comments are welcome. This is an unbetaed work so all mistake are definitely mine. I think there will be one more chapter and then some one-shots in this universe!


	3. Stay With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So you shacked up with him, plain and simple." Andre shoved another spoonful of pasta into his gullet and Marco wasn't sure if he should be outraged at the savage's eating habits or at the ludicrous words coming out of his mouth.
> 
> He settled for both as he stabbed his steak into submission. 
> 
> Everything was backwards and he was too confused to do anything but drink, except he couldn't even do that since he had to read three chapters of the dullest book in the history of man by Friday. At least he had some time with the kids tomorrow afternoon.

Lukas sat on the chaise lounge Monika usually used to read by the window as he stared at his arm, brushing the name that crossed the prominent vein in the crook of his elbow. It was bold and legibly wrapped around his forearm, the name Bastian Schweinsteiger displayed for all the world to see.

His first instinct was to look at the man whose name was on his skin, but he forced himself to look at Monika because she deserved better than this. He wasn't even sure what this was. He had heard his father's story and his grandfather's story but nothing had prepared him for what he was experiencing right now. There had to be something wrong with him. 

"I have to call Micha." He decided, scrubbing his face with his right hand. He didn't even want to acknowledge he had a left arm right now. Monika stopped in her tracks as her pace around the room hadn't helped her at all in what to do with their predicament. 

"Who is Micha?" the Bavarian-born man sitting across from him asked hesitantly. Sarah and Tobias had decided to get them dinner from a chinese place down the street and had given them some privacy as they stayed in the kitchen, quietly having a conversation on what they were going to tell Bastian's manager. The food was going cold and some small part of Lukas' brain felt like he was being a terrible host. 

"Michael Ballack, my agent. Although, I'm not entirely sure I'll have a career after this." He gestured at the stark black lettering on his arm. Plenty of male models had tattoos; Lukas had had his Cologne one for ages, and Mathieu probably made the most on his tattoo spreads but this wasn't a tattoo.

"Jesus, Lukas, you have to think about this, you have to call your parents." Lukas took a deep breath as Monika brought up another point. He had to cancel his flight to Brazil. He definitely needed to talk to Micha now. He would be on the next available flight to Cologne. He felt unusually cramped in his house, in this room. The air had become heavy with too many things on all the occupants minds.

"I'm going to Cologne. I can't just call." Monika looked pale as he stood up. Bastian stood up also and nodded. "I'll go with you. I have to go back anyway, my parents will want to hear the news in person." Lukas carefully avoided looking directly at the man and pleaded Monika with his eyes to help him somehow as he took his phone out of his pocket and went into the bathroom.

The last thing he heard as he closed the door was a question in their native tongue. 

_"He hates me, doesn't he?"_

\---

"You're m.goetze?" Marco asked a bit stunned at his luck or perhaps it was misfortune. How the hell was he supposed to keep himself from falling in love with Mario if they shared the same living space?

Mario laughed a little at their predicament and walked his bike over the short distance between them. "Yes, I am. Mario Goetze, pleased to meet you marcoolrads." Right, he had used his yahoo account instead of his respectable yet boring student account. 

"It's Reus actually. I didn't know you needed a roommate." He sounded a little accusatory and felt off-balance. He couldn't exactly say he was thrilled at the prospect of living with the waiter he had pined for and struck a friendship with. The world could be scheming against him but Marco didn't believe in some pre-planned map of his life. If Mario was his destiny(he felt a shiver up his spine and pulled his coat tighter to his body) then he would need more proof than a comedy of errors game.

"You never mentioned you wanted to move out." and Marco knew he was right. It hadn't been brought up mostly because he enjoyed trading barbs and debating over politics instead of getting personal. 

"Do you still want to check out the room...?" He had an odd inflection to his voice as he asked Marco. Mario adjusted his grip on the handlebar of the bike. 

"Did you lie about the price?" 

Mario shook his head.

"Then lead the way," he motioned and Mario smiled brightly as he told Marco how he acquired the apartment in the first place.

\---

"Well, shit." Michael Ballack wasn't always a man of few words but he was always honest and this was not what he expected when he got the emergency call from Podolski. He had been with Lukas since his start and felt a bit like a pseudo-father to the younger man as he showed him the ropes and negotiated terms. 

He knew the kid was going to be big, and now he knew there would be sharks in the water scenting for blood.

"Alright, alright, let's stay calm. Monika, did anyone see you come in with them?" Michael had a duty to Lukas and now he had to contain any possible leaks of this story before they were comfortable with a press release. Lukas lived in a gated community and most of his neighbors weren't exactly the gossiping type but you never knew who would be the one to break under pressure. 

"No, I mean we came in my car, but someone might have seen us in the airport together." Micha frowned and dialed a number and got a busy signal. He rolled his eyes and continued his questioning.

"Miss Bradner, did you and your bondmate speak to anyone while getting the food? Did you talk about the incident that happened at all?" He pressed gently as he tried the number again.

"No, we weren't, we spoke about our shock but not about Bastian's bond." Sarah Bradner had been an upstanding model until the rumor-mongers had sunk their teeth into the fiasco with the Schweinsteiger brothers and her. Now, she was behind the scenes as a fashion photographer and Michael knew this had the potential to rock the boat moreso than the premature end of her modeling career. As far as the media knew, Monika and Lukas were very faithful to each other and their bond was well-documented. Throwing a wrench into the works in the form of an Olympic star with a former bond scandal was going to be ugly.

Micha really needed Torsten to answer his damn phone.

"Sarah, if you could do me a favor, since we all know you have practice with covering a bond mark," Tobias stood up to defend Sarah and Micha put up his hands in surrender. 

"I'm good friends with her former agent, I didn't mean offense. As I was saying, could you help Lukas cover it up?" Sarah looked at Monika and Monika connected some dots.

"I'll get my make-up kit from the car." Lukas felt like the situation was spinning out of control and he was hanging on by a thread.

"Wait, what does he mean by Sarah has experience, I know I'm not exactly in my right mind here, but I'm missing something and seeing as we're all in my house right now. I'd like to be informed about my _guests._ " Micha and Monika shared a look and Sarah looked torn between going to the door and going to comfort Bastian. 

The answer came from Monika painted lips: "That was part of why I wanted you to meet them. Sarah has a bond with Bastian and Tobias." Monika grabbed Sarah's hand and offered some whispered comfort as the elephant in the room seemed to turn into a woolly mammoth.

"You-what." Lukas looked between Sarah and Bastian and felt somewhat betrayed by what he had just heard, which didn't make sense but he felt the hurt welling up in his chest.

Lukas Podolski wasn't an angry person. He took life as it was and always tried to look on the positive side of things no matter what. His father had a best friend in the name Dieter Sevin and his grandfather faithfully remembered Ingrid every spring with flowers. His grandmother had said the Podolski line had too much love to share and platonic soulmates were the best gift you could get as a human being. To have a person in love with you was amazing but to have a bond of pure love was indescribable. 

He took it to heart because he knew when Ingrid had died, his grandmother lost a sister and a best friend. They weren't deviants or sinners, but he couldn't believe the complete disaster he had just landed in. This wasn't the nice stories he had heard as a child on his grandfather's knee. This could ruin his and Monika's careers, their life together because that ill feeling he had was an omen that this stranger was going to turn his life upside down.

"Alright ladies, if you would please get your supplies. I need to talk to my client." Micha steered the clearly on edge Podolski into the master bedroom and left the Schweinsteiger brothers to their own devices.

"Lukas, I'm going to cancel your work in Brazil. I'm sure the Neymar foundation will understand, but you need to tell me if you can do this because I can't rearrange everything and find a way to make this better unless you're on board and right now, you look like a loose canon waiting to explode." Lukas sat down on his comforter and pressed his palms into his eyes to stop the burning sensation of tears.

"I thought this would be good. I thought-I-He's just-I don't know. Micha, I don't know what I'm going to do. What if Monika leaves me?" Lukas stopped himself from choking on the words. Michael sent a quick prayer to the ceiling as he slings an arm around Lukas. He hoped this all turned out well, for the sake of everyone involved.

"That's not going to happen and obviously, I'm here to help you figure that out. First things first, call your family because I'm pretty sure your grandmother has a sixth sense for this and she's probably worried about you upsetting the cosmos. Use my phone. Come out when you're ready and the girls will get you ready. I've got an idea." Lukas swiped at his eyes and Michael patted his back and slipped out of the room. 

"I need to talk to you two and you better have answers." He interrupted whatever chat the two brothers were having at the island of the kitchen while Bastian picked at some chicken platter. The older Schweinsteiger looked at Michael like he was ready to face a grand jury.

"We don't have time to celebrate," he spoke wryly as he grabbed the home phone to call Torsten, "but for what it's worth, you couldn't have picked a better person than Lukas to be bonded to." 

Bastian looked at the door separating him from Lukas and grimaced.

"Somehow I don't think he would agree." 

The ringing stopped as a cough was heard and Micha felt like they finally got a break in this mess. "Torsten, I need help. No questions asked, Lukas is in trouble. We've got an emergency. How fast can you get a plane?" 

\---

"So you shacked up with him, plain and simple." Andre shoved another spoonful of pasta into his gullet and Marco wasn't sure if he should be outraged at the savage's eating habits or at the ludicrous words coming out of his mouth.

He settled for both as he stabbed his steak into submission. 

Everything was backwards and he was too confused to do anything but drink, except he couldn't even do that since he had to read three chapters of the dullest book in the history of man by Friday. At least he had some time with the kids tomorrow afternoon.

"I didn't have a choice!" An incredulous look from the human garbage disposal in front of him made him rethink his argument. Marco flailed his hands in frustration because words certainly couldn't convey what he wanted to express.

"Well, I couldn't exactly say 'oh well I would live here if you weren't my roommate because I've been lusting after you for months!' It was a great rate and I really do want to get out of Mats and Benni's lovenest. It's gotten worse since they decided to get recognized and legitimized. I love them like brothers but seriously, I have work to do." A scoff or a choke on the part of Andre was ignored.

"Okay, but Mario is-Mario is Mario, he's nice and I'm not. I'm a total asshole who hides behind arguments and thinking human beings are pretty much like ants running around and creating ant hills. He probably likes Prinz Poldi types who smile with their whole body and look like they work out and I'm definitely not that. You've compared me to grumpy cat at least twenty times so I don't fit that." Andre swallowed and started laughing like a hyena. 

After he calmed down, he took a gulp of water. 

"You've gone 'round the bend, Marco. You're really freaking out about this aren't you?" 

Marco wanted to deny it but knew he couldn't. All he could focus on was the fact that he was going to live with Mario in a week. He was going to sign a lease and live in the same apartment as Mario Goetze. His bad luck streak surely was going to chime in at some point. 

"You are so fatalistically negative about everything Marco. Isn't it a bit like giving into the game if you're routinely think everything bad that can happen, will happen? You say you're not a believer in fate but I think you're just tempting the old gal to up the stakes. I know you want to win for you pride but don't tell me to listen to you moon over the guy and then say it won't work out because nothing in your life works that easily. Maybe that's the point. If you don't take the chance, it won't happen, because that's what you've touted about all this time right?"

Marco's jaw dropped as Andre chewed a piece of roasted pepper. If he were younger, he would've exploded into a rage and told Andre to shove it up his ass, but Marco had gotten over that stage of his life(or handled his anger better). Even so, he was slightly miffed at the logic of Andre's response. 

It was true, he _had_ carried a torch for free will and your choices are the only ones that matter in life and if you thought otherwise you were an idiot, but by giving into his pessimism, he was doing just that. He was being an idiot.

"So you're saying I should just, jump him?" Andre shrugged. 

"Your words, not mine. Personally, I think this whole thing smacks of one of those stories you know? It's like that higher deity you don't want interfering is knocking you into him every chance it can get just to get it through your thick skull." He nudged the yellow and black cuff on his wrist with his (thankfully not used) knife. 

Marco took a bite of steak and mulled over everything. His life was shaping up to be more interesting by the day. Angry buzzing emitted from his pocket and he saw 'echte liebe' on the screen. He gave Andre a funny look because if Mats was going to shout in his ear about 'living in sin with a younger man' Marco wasn't going to pick up, but Andre just kept eating.

"What?" Marco answered with his usual eloquence. 

"Benni's been in an accident. Julian was in the car with him. There was a truck-I don't know. I'm going to the hospital." Marco's wariness abated and he quickly got the address and told Mats he would meet him there with Andre. 

He flagged the waiter down and threw cash down on the table. 

"We have to go. Our friend's been in a car accident." Andre fumbled with his wallet and put down some more bills. 

"It's Benni and Julian. Mats said they're in the hospital."

\---

"I'm surprised you didn't know about my situation." Sarah remarked softly as she smeared the concealer on his arm. The trick was the lipstick or so the blonde had told him. Lukas didn't know how to feel about her, but he was much more steady after talking to his mother about what happened that evening. 

Micha had gotten the Schweinsteiger brothers a red-eye flight back to Germany and talked to the elder's manager in terms universally understood to back off and give Bastian the time necessary to adjust. Sarah was going to stay with Monika in her loft and take a separate flight staying in Greece to clear their names and make them visible before meeting up with the rest in Germany later in the week.

Lukas had a private jet waiting for him tomorrow after his allotted "vacation" time was over. Torsten's idea to leak an ill family member would cover the Brazil cancellation and the extended time in Germany. Bastian would visit another charity event where Monika could reintroduce Lukas into the public eye and subsequently link both men as friendly acquaintances. After those measures, they would work out if Lukas would keep modeling on the table. Micha knew Lukas was prepared to leave the limelight behind without a fuss. 

"I wasn't exactly following scandals as my own career was taking off." Sarah flushed as his tone had an edge that wasn't friendly.

"I guess so. They called me all sorts of things in the news. I think the worst was an incestuous bridge. Monika saw I had two names and didn't bat an eyelash. When she connected who I was with the news back then, she said it was terrible how they treated me and slandered the boys. I thought we could be friends. She certainly treated me like I was no different than the rest of the girls at the resort." 

Lukas couldn't stay silent at the woman's story, not without feeling guilty of judging her. It was some sort of misplaced notion that had clouded his head when he turned to accuse Bastian with his eyes. He had never had such a strong reaction with Monika and other men before. He wasn't sure where he stood with Monika, who was in the other room with her tablet, fiddling with her schedule as per Micha's requests. 

"Does it run in your family? and I don't have a say in who Monika befriends. Obviously she was trying to-she's a good friend. My best friend actually." Lukas almost stopped breathing as he realized that was true. He hadn't had a problem with having female friends, he had grown up with several good boy and girl friends but he had been waiting for so long for the sort of friendship his family cherished that it had completely stumped him when it happened. 

What if Monika was his best friend, in the way Thomas and Manu were "soul-bros", the way his grandfather and Ingrid had been? 

"No, my family wasn't exactly thrilled by it. It's more of their family actually. It tends to skip some generations but both Bastian and Tobi talked me through it when it happened. I thought-I didn't know what to do when I met Tobias and instantly felt something for him."

Lukas' heart skipped a beat.

"I met Bastian first, and I thought he was it and I had convinced myself we were going to get married and have kids, but something always held us back, I think. Basti loved me but he wasn't _in love_ with me. We're best friends and I still go to all the meets I can to cheer him on. We're a bit a statistical outlier, his brother being my soulmate and all. But I can't imagine it any other way now. Tobi is my everything and I'm so grateful I didn't mess their relationship up." She paused and finished the job.

"And...I hope I can be your friend too." She held up a hand mirror for him to see and his skin looked like it did this morning, without the brand of another name on it, but it looked wrong. It felt wrong. Bond marks shouldn't be hidden like this for the sake of not being judged. He suddenly sympathized with Sarah. 

He had taken to wearing cuffs on both his wrists as a reminder of his heritage. Both older Podolski generations had a name on each wrist. And he hadn't flaunted his bond with Monika but that didn't mean he constantly wore his cuff in private. Now, he had to choose to hide the mark on his arm or become ostracized and another scandal like Sarah's situation was.

He took her hand.

"Thanks. I think we can be, but right now, I have to talk to Monika. If you could tell her that for me, please?" Sarah gave him a smile and squeezed his hand as if she knew exactly what had transpired in his mind, and he guessed she could knew after her similar situation. 

"Of course, I'll tell her to come in."

It was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the angst is killing me and I honestly don't know where it came from. and I lied, I have no idea how many chapters this will be. I promised myself I would include Per in this chapter but I guess it will happen in the next.


	4. It Will Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bastian sitting there in his parent's living room made sense to Lukas and that was terrifying.

Mats rushed into the hospital to bump into Manuel Neuer, acclaimed model and part-time actor, but most importantly one of Benni's childhood friends' and a 'groomsman' for the recognition ceremony that was supposed to happen in a month was standing there like a loon.

"What are you doing here?" Mats asked as he insisted on knowing how Benedikt Hoewedes was to the receptionist who radiated an annoying amount of aplomb. The receptionist looked at his files and computer at a pace that felt slower than a snail's to Mats frantic headspace. 

"The patient is recovering from a mild concussive blow due to the pile-up on the interstate. Draxler, Julian is without injury but suffering from shock at the trauma. How are you related to the patients Mr. Hummels?" Mats unsnapped his cuff and shook his wrist at the man. "It should be in your damn files. I'm his bonded and partner." 

Marco and Andre arrived just to see the scene and rushed to help Mats. 

"Look, my friend is very, very worried about his fiance. If you could just tell us the room number and we'll take him out of your hair and promise not to make your job harder, Mr. Heinle." Andre ended up squinting at the tag adorning the man's scrubs and handing Mats over to Marco who gave him a hug. 

"Fine, fine. Room 304. Mr Draxler is in the same room." Marco took Mats to the elevator as Andre waited, knowing three people going in at once would likely get them in trouble with staff. He spotted the tall man in ridiculously expensive clothes and vaguely recognized him from the engagement/we're-actually-gonna-go-through-the-paperwork-let's-get-drunk- party Mats and Benni had a while back. 

"Neuer right? Andre Schurrle, I would say pleased to meet you but we've met and this isn't exactly a great place to socialize. Are you here for someone?" The other man looked a bit angry, mixed with the petulant gaze of a child not getting what they wanted.

"Thomas is here. I-His wife isn't going to be able to come until later and I got called as his other emergency contact, but they won't let me see him because I'm not related. He's in intensive care." Andre nodded, he remembered the other part of the duo better as he had recited a horse joke that had seemed hilarious at the time to his drunken state of mind. He also remembered they were platonics, but that was a murky law within the medical field.

Andre got an idea on how to help the upset man. After all, what was some mischief for a good cause going to hurt. 

"I think I can help you. Let me see that fancy watch you've got." 

Marco and Mats crowded around Benni and Julian, but another familiar face was next to the younger man's bed. 

"Per?" Marco caught the man's attention as Mats quietly conversed with his soulmate. Per Mertesacker smiled widely at the unexpected surprise and waved him over. 

"Hey Marco, are you a friend of Julian's? I was called in to help with the nasty accident that happened. Ten cars were involved." Per volunteered with the same sports program Marco had joined as a child and that he now worked with also. He specialized extensively in traumatic stress and had been a social worker with the kids' psychiatric ward at the hospital. Marco had spoken to him about his career multiple times as a gauge if he wanted to pursue the same type of thing. 

"The car looks worse than I do, Schatz." Marco was glad both Julian and Benni weren't too banged up. 

"I got the call and I panicked. Oh shit, I completely ignored Manu downstairs." Mats held Benni's hand in his and traced the arc his terrible handwriting made with his thumb. 

"Manu? He's here?" 

"Yeah, I don't know why but he was downstairs." Marco got several texts in succession as he overheard Mats berating himself.

"Yeah, I am. Excuse me, I have to save a friend from getting kicked out of the hospital..." His eyebrows climbed as he read the texts of Andre's ridiculous plan that seemed to work until one of the intensive care nurses caught on. 

"What?" Per frowned.

"My friend stole a wheelchair among other things to help our friend Manuel get to Thomas who was also in this accident but is in ICU." Marco shook his head as he took one looked at Mats and knew he wouldn't budge to go save Andre. 

"Do you mean Manuel Neuer and Thomas Mueller?" Marco nodded and asked the obvious, "Do you know them?"

"Yes, we met at an advocacy meeting for platonics. Thomas loves Philipp's baked goods. Maybe I can help." Per didn't have much of a pull in the hospital but he had friends in most departments, maybe if he could have a discreet word with someone they would let Manuel see his friend.

"Great, because I think they're being escorted by security right now."

\---

He had to remind himself not to touch the makeup, which hadn't been an issue since he was a teenager starting out. Monika sat across from him, looking tired and emotionally drained. 

"Monika," he started without an end in mind. It had been seven years since he started sharing his life with her. He had thought she was the one to complete him forever, but there had been something missing and Lukas had skipped over the obvious in sight. 

"Lukas, please let me--when we started, there was nothing to talk about because we were soulmates and that was all that mattered, but now, I think there's too much to say, too much to think about and I thought I was in the wrong, for _such_ a long time. I thought, perhaps, I was waiting for some other knight in shining armor even when I had a prince and I spent nights feeling guilty for that, because we were in love right?" Lukas felt as if his heart were cracking a bit in his chest. He hadn't known Monika felt like this at all. 

She looked down at her hands as she kept going, a bit more quietly.

"And then I had the idea of introducing you to them, because if they could do it, I was sure we could do the same. I talked to Bastian the most about the idea because I thought, maybe I would be the one living with one name on my skin just like him. He told me he was patient, he never gave up the hope that one day he'd find the one that made sense of his world, that made the world better just by existing in the same room. He loves Sarah, just like you love me, and it took me this long to figure it out." 

"I didn't know." He croaked out. Taking her hands in his, he knelt down bowing his head. 

"I didn't know, I swear, I thought we would--we were perfect for each other. You wouldn't even have to change your initials if we married." He weakly joked, trying not to cry. Monika gently let go of his hands and made him look up at her.

"I love you, but I am not Bastian. I didn't think it would be like this, but you've never looked at me like you did at him. The world was right for once, and all you could do was think with your brain instead of your heart, Lukas." She had tears running down her face as she looked straight into his eyes.

"No one should have to jump on a plane three hours after meeting their soulmate, but he did. I may have been your first love, but he's your destiny." Lukas laid his head on her lap and started crying, feeling as if everything that had happened was finally hitting him. 

"Please don't leave." His deep voice was hoarse and muffled. Monika ran her fingers through his hair in a soothing gesture.

"I have to. We need to think about this, about what we're going to do. We can't keep doing this to ourselves. I can't wait as long as Bastian to find another name. I have to find my own rightness in the world. We've been so comfortable with us, but never realized it isn't just about being comfortable. I love you, but I think we needed more than love this whole time."

\---

After one adventure in saving Andre and Manuel, they took another to Lahm's bakery which resulted in Marco being severely uncomfortable as Mario ate a cupcake. 

He was moaning.

Loudly about the cupcake and Marco nearly dropped a box on his foot when he heard him take the first bite.

He vaguely remembered Andre talking about orgasmic eaters and shook his head to dispel the silly story from his mind. He was almost sure Lahm was some sort of wizard, because his pastries were out of this world. When he had texted Mats about Lahm's, he got an order to get a lava cake for Benni. Figures the bastard would hold out on him when it came to sweets. Then, he got to see Lahm and Per in action. It was somewhat refreshing to see platonics;it was a completely different dynamic.

"What have I told you about bringing in strays?" Lahm with his hands on his hips didn't cut much of an intimidating figure, it was actually somewhat funny but both Andre and Manu seemed to hunch a bit in trepidation and Marco almost laughed. 

Per smiled and went to introduce them.

"You aren't going to feed them unless they're entertaining? These strays are Andre Schurrle, Marco Reus, and of course, Manuel. I've got a story for you Philipp. Maybe we can split a pie between us."

Philipp brandished a knife and Andre ducked behind Marco, before seeing the shorter man cut a pie into six. 

"What did you get into this time?" Marco couldn't get the fussy housewife picture out of his mind but the pie was amazing, more than amazing really. He had gotten a box of leftover cupcakes after sharing their adventure and making the scary housewife laugh uproariously. It must have been the eyebrows that made him look like a murderer. Or maybe it was more like that one show, with the necromancer pie maker detective.

Either way, it was an interesting night. Though, now Marco was completely exhausted and still had to get revisions done. 

"Did you want to stay over?" Mario had a bit of frosting at the corner of his mouth and Marco was pretty sure he was staring, like a zombie would stare at a living human with a tasty, tasty brain.

"No, but could I use your couch for a bit? I'll get a nap in before leaving." 

"Go for it. It's gonna be our couch soon, you know? Besides, the cupcakes are better payment than I usually get." He tried not to think about living with Mario in a few short days. It seemed to be some sort of cosmic losing tally on his side of the court. He shifted on the couch and irritably told Mario about the frosting.

"Marco?" He heard the other man trail off but had already drifted off.

\---

"Babcia," Lukas held his grandmother's weathered hands in his and bent to kiss her cheek. 

"Dzieciuch, how I've missed you. Let me look at you." She held his face in her hands and tutted. "Misery begets misery, tell me what has happened." Lukas hugged the older woman with a fierce grip. His grandmother always had a sense of something being wrong with Lukas, even when he didn't say anything. She would always know. He had missed her in these last months away from home. 

"I found another soulmate." An understanding look. 

"Tell me about him." She led him to the couch. As he touched down in the airport, he knew he had to go to his grandparents. He couldn't see his parents yet, having to face the questions they would have. He wouldn't have that at his Babcia's home. His grandfather was on an early morning fishing trip. 

"I can't. I don't know him. He's different. Very...bavarian." That brought a smile to the old woman's face.

"I looked him up on the plane. Olympic medalist. Skiing since he was a child." It had been a bit surreal to google his soulmate. What mostly surprised him was that Tobias was the older one. Bastian carried himself with more on his shoulders and Lukas kept thinking back to what Monika had said, he had waited for a long time.

"A dedicated boy, then. So why is my Lukasz so sad?" He had made mistakes that hurt everyone involved. All he had wanted since he was young and he had bungled it up completely.

"I don't know what to do, Oma. I had thought to make a life with Monika, but now there is Bastian." Lukas didn't have words for the magnetic pull he felt around the other man. He was self-aware enough to find Bastian attractive, but he had never felt like a compass spinning towards north with anyone else. Everything seemed sharper, every detail he drank in with his senses was magnified and Bastian was the only one to focus the sensation into one point.

"When I was younger and a more stubborn girl, I hated Ingrid, because they had met first, and in those days, everyone knew everyone's soulmate. When I said to myself, Brigyda, no one makes any bridges by standing still. I took a chance that my heart knew was right, but I had been scared to make. Because my anger was not true anger. It was fear. Others may be fearful of you, but if you become fearful of yourself, you lose what is yours. 

Monika is a smart girl but you must trust in her as you have before, she needs some time yes? And you, child, you must find yourself again. It is more than the pictures you make and this," she grabbed his cuff, "is only there for you to help. It is what is inside you that knows what is inside them, not what is outside." Lukas look chastised, his grandmother had peeled apart the issue like an orange.

"Thank you, Babcia." He felt more sure of himself. He could face whatever happened with a better head on his shoulders and his unflagging optimism. 

"Give the boy a chance, see what makes him your named."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That summary is a dirty liar. I had to cut this short, as it's been difficult to wrangle as a chapter.


	5. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Stay with me." Lukas has never been as quiet as this in his life. This was his whole life hinged on a yes or a no.

Andre was a big old lout on the couch(texting constantly texting, Marco was getting paranoid about it) as Marco lugged in the last box of his previous life in Casa Hummels-Hoewedes. Benedikt was cleared to rest and Julian had been making noises about moving in with them in a year or so, after his own lease was up. Marco had felt as if it was a new chapter in his life, moving into a flat with a virtual stranger (shacking up with the love of your life, Andre sang drunkenly last night. Mats did a terrible impression of T-Pain and Marco wanted to die or murder) and generally getting his last term done. 

Mario had gone to work but left him a copy of the key and his blessing to raid the kitchen for food. Andre had lifted a box and then planted his butt on the (admittedly very comfortable) couch to attend to all the pressing matters on his phone. He snapped a picture of a red and sweaty Marco and chortled to himself. 

Marco had decided Andre was the devil but then thought better of it and put Mats in the horned picture in his head. Andre was like a satyr or an imp, one of those horny and prank-pulling assholes from Greek mythology. Benni was obviously a saint for putting up with their collective shit. It was a scant amount of weeks before their recognition ceremony and Marco had thought moving out was the least of their problems as Mats became a scary man on a mission. As it turned out, Benni had to calm Mats down as he clung to Marco in a goodbye hug. 

"I'm moving ten minutes away, five with your driving, you're being so dramatic." Marco yelled exasperated at Mats' display. 

"Shut up, you're dramatic." Mats started petting his hair and Marco struggled to get out of the vice grip. He signalled wildly at Benni, the traitor was trying not to laugh too loud. 

"What a great comeback, Hummels. See if I show up to the ceremony." Benni's eye widened and he shook his head as Mats suddenly shook Marco by his arms. 

"Don't you dare Marco William Reus. I will kill you and your little dog too. I will kidnap that boytoy you're leaving me for. I will raze the earth with my dragons. You're my best friend and my best man, and you will be there at three sharp you rooster-headed dumbass." Marco was dizzy from the shaking but managed to agree woozily.

"Okay, okay, stop for the love of God. This is worse than a rollercoaster." 

"This will be a red wedding if you don't show up." Benedikt slung an arm around Mats' shoulder and steered him away from the door. 

"I'll call you later to check up okay? Don't worry about Dragonborn here okay? Go before he starts foaming at the mouth."

Marco thanked every deity in the world that he had the forethought to pack his car before announcing his departure. Mats had been on a rollercoaster of emotions lately and Benni had been the only one to successfully keep up. Marco thought to ask what the secret of his utter zen was but then thought otherwise. He loved his friends but he did not want details. 

Andre really was a useless lump.

"Go get some pizza, because I'm not feeding you." He threw some cash at him while disappearing into his room, then picked up his phone off the bed to not lose it in the unpacking process. His posters were up and his desk had been designated the 'shit for school' area. Most of his clothes were hanging in the closet but he still had boxes of miscellaneous stuff. He honestly didn't know how much he had until he had to pack it up. 

Mario hadn't even been phased when he saw the Dortmund flag hanging on his back wall. Mats had almost stolen it for his own, but Benedikt had protested, saying their bedroom was a neutral zone besides jerseys. 

He tried to bleach the memory of them wearing the other's customized jersey the next morning. He wore earplugs for a bloody reason. 

Marco went back to unpacking, ripping some tape off the box on his bed. His bed, in his bedroom, next to Mario's room, across from their shared bathroom. What the hell had gotten into him. He could hear Andre's laughter in his head. He texted the idiot to not bring back any pizza with ham or he would gut him with a spork.

\---  
Bastian sitting there in his parent's living room made sense to Lukas and that was terrifying. Lukas had been mulling over his grandmother's words for weeks, but he had no way of actually contacting his other bondmate until he called up Micha who had promptly laughed in his face for taking so long and emailed him the information. 

They had a few phone conversations on what they were going to do and how they were going to keep this under the radar until Lukas finally broke under the faux casual attitude they had with each other, asking the other man to join them in the more secluded vacation home in the countryside his parents currently were staying in. 

So he was here without Sarah and Tobias, a travel bag in his hand and exhaustion lining his eyes. Lukas had taken off the patch on his arm that morning and the name still felt alien on his skin. Sometimes he thought it itched under his cover patch, but that was probably his mind playing tricks on him. The marks weren't supposed to itch or tickle or anything. Some people reported a sensation when it first appeared but that was a debate in itself. 

He remembered the goosebumps and he still felt that itch as Bastian answered the harmless question his mother had. 

Lukas wasn't even sure where to sit in his (well he had bought it for his parents) own home nevertheless how this weekend would go. He took the brave route and sat next to Bastian. The other man's hand twitched a bit, but nothing else suggested he was uncomfortable. 

His mother smiled and excused herself to check on her father in law and the dinner. His grandfather's flaki was the best and he had insisted on being traditional, using beef tripe instead of the quicker alternative route of chicken or turkey breast. His grandmother had added golabki or krautwickel while his mother had made a makowiec, a poppy seed loaf for dessert. 

Lukas had protested the whole affair, knowing all the effort his family was putting into this introduction. He was dismissed from the kitchen and put to use by his father outside. He was alone with Bastian Schweinsteiger. 

"Thank you for inviting me into your home. I didn't get a chance to say that before, but here we are again." The Bavarian twisted slightly to face him. His eyes were distracting Lukas. He barely caught what he was saying.

"It's--I--That was--I'm sorry. I was surprised. I didn't think it would happen like that. I mean, I was taken aback. You surprised me," he stopped and resumed with a mumble, "when you came with Monika." He looked down and didn't catch Bastian's look to the door. 

"My mark isn't on my arm." He blurted out and Lukas looked up in shock. When Monika and he were marked, it was instantaneous. same wrist like all common bonds. Bastian pulled on the collar of his shirt to reveal the big letters of Lukas' handwriting sitting curved at his collarbone. 

"What. How." Lukas stuttered out as he reached out to touch his name. The warmth beneath his fingertips reminded him of an old saying, the higher it goes, the warmer the blood. It wasn't an exact translation but it was an old wives tale. The bond mark tended to show up by an artery, 'where the pulse was', and the higher the name, the more love in the person. It was a silly notion but what did it mean between them, when Bastian's was nestled in the crook of his elbow and Lukas' was inching towards his neck. 

He could feel Bastian's heartbeat right by the 'p' of his last name. He was unconsciously pulling at the white shirt to see his whole name, to trace it as if he had never written a word in his life, much less his own name. It was beautiful and he couldn't stop touching it. A polite cough made both men jump, now much more aware of where they were and how close they were to each other. 

Lukas' hand under the stretched out collar felt as embarrassing as the first time he had been caught with his hand down his pants. He quickly withdrew it from the warm skin of his bonded.

"Bastian Schweinsteiger, this is my Oma, Brygida." He stood up and Bastian took his lead and greeted the older woman quietly, subdued almost. 

"Welcome, Mr Schweinsteiger. Dinner's ready, if you boys will join us." Lukas flushed slightly under the scrutinizing gaze. His name was on Bastian's neck. His family would wonder when Bastian took his cardigan sweater off, but hopefully too polite to ask. His grandmother was sly though, he would have to warn the other man somehow. 

"Bastian is fine, Mrs. Podolski." She laughed.

"Such a polite one, Mrs. Podolski is my daughter-in-law. You can call my Brygida or Oma. You _are_ practically one of the family now." It was Bastian's turn to turn red and Lukas guessed that was enough of a warning. 

_"Aniela will want to see it you know."_ She whispered as they led Bastian to the dinner table. Lukas made a face, feeling sorry for the Bavarian, one Podolski woman was enough to send him to the hills, two would spell a mortifying night for Lukas. 

Though it couldn't beat the disaster of their meeting. 

They were seated next to each other as the various plates were set down. Bastian's hand tapped his thigh and traced an O-K-? while his other hand took a warm roll from the center of the table. Lukas controlled his reaction admirably and gave him a nod.

"Try the stuffed cabbage."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoomp there it is. I've given up on chapter summaries obviously. Think of it as a teaser for the next chapter. Please comment your reactions or leave a suggestion.
> 
> Thanks for keeping the spirit alive.


	6. Maps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So would you want to go to the wedding with me?" Marco felt like he was going to have a heart attack. 
> 
> Mario brushed his hair back and smiled slowly, "Of course Marco, I would love to."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some sweet and nerdy Hommels as a present.

Benedikt woke up to silence, which was pretty unusual living with Mats and Marco who tended to squabble like children over cereal or who would use the shower first, or why waffles were superior to pancakes. Then, he remembered Marco wasn't with them anymore. 

Mats took the move like a mother with an empty nest, which in most ways was bad but also with a bit of pride for his best friend. Bene knew if either of them would've been prone to multiple bond marks, they would've had a platonic one. Mats rolled around and smacked him across the stomach by accident. The blonde rolled his eyes and shoved his soulmate off the bed. He fell with the covers and a thump. 

"Hrmph, guh, Bene?" Mats sat up blearily and reached for the other's man hand across the rumpled sheets. Benedikt smiled softly at Mats hair sticking up and out. It was getting longer but Mats reassured him he would get it cut before the ceremony. He took his hand and squeezed it briefly before hauling him up. 

"How about we take a sick day from everything and just stay in bed?" Mats frowned as he thought of everything that they still needed to do on top of work and school. Benedikt just gave him puppy eyes until the dark-haired man caved and snuggled up to him.

"We could always elope, go to the Bahamas or something." Mats snorted and tucked his head under Benedikt's chin. 

"As if our families wouldn't kill us afterwards? No thanks, Mama is scary." Bene kissed his hair and wrapped an arm around Mats. He knew that was the main reason Mats was stressing over every little detail of the event. Even if it wasn't a traditional wedding, he wanted both the families to be there and enjoy themselves. They had grown up together, but Mats still had thrown himself into a frenzy over it, feeling as if this was the last hurdle he had to prove himself against to Bene's family.

"The venue is cleared, Andre is the DJ, our tuxes are basically done and the catering has promised to get there on time on penalty of death and destruction. Lahm hasn't bitten your head off for calling him every couple of days. Just relax. Tomorrow you can go back to being Khaleesi, mother of dragons." 

Mats poked him in the ribs. "Do you think Marco is going to bring Mario to the ceremony?" 

Benedikt shrugged, jostling the other's head.

"No meddling, you promised. Besides I'm sure Andre will tell us if he does. He is your spy right now." 

"Do you think anyone will give us dragon eggs for our wedding?" Benedikt mocked growled as he tickled Mats into submission. 

"No Jorahs are gonna take you away." Mats squirmed and laughed breathlessly. "I don't know, Andre would probably look fetching as a Mormont." Bene kissed him, slow and easy as if he had forever. Mats grabbed Bene's hand and interlocked their fingers as he pushed more heat into the kiss.

He loved him, he loved holding hands because it would bring the names on their wrists closer together and that meant everything to him. They were soul mates, perfect for each other in every way.

"I love you." Benedikt broke away to whisper in his ear and Mats couldn't help but smile goofily like every time he heard the words. 

"Shekh Ma Shieraki Anni." Benedikt chuckled and wondered if it was too late to call the whole ceremony off for a costume party instead and how mad would everyone get at having to get medieval fantasy costumes. 

"You're such a dork, Schatz." 

"But you still love me."

\---

The dinner had been excellent and no one had broken into awkward topics to embarrass Lukas. Bastian had excused himself to go into the guest room and rest after his trip. Lukas was helping his mother with the leftovers and dishes. 

"I like him, Lukas. Your father and I have decided to take some time together and leave you two after the weekend." Lukas almost got whiplash with how fast he moved.

"Mama, this is your house. We won't trouble you--" His mother held up a hand. "This isn't a discussion. We know you're having a hard time with this and being alone with him will be easier than with your Mama and Papa being there. It is your house too, and much more far away from the snooping news. 

Your grandmother told me about the scene in the living room and if I know Brygida she has told you what you needed to hear. So let your Mama do this for you. I am proud of you Lukas, no matter what happens." Lukas bent down to hug his mother tightly. 

"Thank you. I needed to hear that too." She patted his arm in support. 

"Ach, you silly boy. You're going to be fine. I don't think he'll bite. Just be yourself and he'll fall in love with you in no time." Her eyes sparkled a bit mischievously. 

"Mama, what did Oma tell you?" Lukas sounded scandalized in the open kitchen.

"Enough," Aniela sang as she opened another cabinet. 

Bastian was in his temporary room, laying down on the bed trying to sleep but all his thoughts refused to quiet down enough to get there. He had a great time with the Podolski family and was quite stuffed from all the food, but there was still a bundle of nerves in him towards the person he was here for. Lukas was completely different with his family, or at least he was different from the time in London. 

He was amazing. Bastian thought of the person he would end up with back in Kolbemoor many times, dreaming as kids do, but he would've never guessed at someone like Lukas Podolski. After Sarah he had been more cautious, examining his feelings carefully, not wanting to rush into something.

But Lukas was completely different, that was the bottom line as his heart dove willingly into the sea of chaos without waiting for a sign of land. He was scared he would never find shore or maybe he was scared of what he would find on that island. Tobias was fiercely protective of Bastian and wary of the Podolski male. 

Sarah had vouched for 'Prinz Poldi' but could not change Tobias' mind. Bastian had to thank her nonetheless after she had calmed his brother down when Bastian announced his trip. 

"I'm not gong to tell you not to go, but I want you to call me if anything happens. I just want you to be happy, Basti. And Podolski looks like he's going to break under pressure." Tobias frowned as Bastian inexplicably smiled back at his brother.

"I think the fates wouldn't bond me to someone so easily scared off at your ugly angry face." Tobias cuffed his neck and ruffled his hair.

"Look here, you don't get to call me ugly, old boy." It was a running joke in the family as Bastian had always been the more serious of the two Schweinsteiger boys. Tobias disagreed and held to the fact that as the oldest he was just caught more easily than his baby brother. 

Bastian was a terror and Tobias was the only one who attested to it.

Tobias also really couldn't talk about soulmate trouble since Bastian almost had to lock Sarah and him in a closet just for him to get over himself and his great 'sacrifice'. Thankfully Sarah was more reasonable than that and pulled Tobi in a room herself.

His heart was in the right place but he was a stubborn fool.

Bastian heard laughter and closed his eyes, hoping to catch more. He had idly touched his mark since he had gotten it. During the flight back to Germany, he had the surprise of his life(or perhaps the second of the day since he had met a supermodel who happened to be his soulmate through said supermodel's girlfriend and other bond mate) when he took off his undershirt and did not find his new mark around his elbow but across his collarbone. 

It was his luck that winter was approaching and long sleeves and turtlenecks were a staple in his profession and wardrobe. 

He couldn't stop touching it really. He waited for so long that it almost didn't feel real, but when he saw Lukas's eyes riveted to the sight and felt him touch the mark, Bastian understood every dumb cliche romance novels had tried to sell to the public. He probably would've committed something indecent if Brygida hadn't interrupted. 

Which really wouldn't help the situation. Lukas seemed to be confused, and Bastian could be patient. He had been patient for this long, if Lukas needed more time, he would give it gladly.

\---

No one could've prepared Marco for this. Really what the hell had he been thinking when he moved in with Mario. The stress of turning in his thesis must have been messing with him because he really couldn't be seeing what was in front of his eyes.

It had all started with Jerome Boateng, his new next door neighbor, best friend of one Mario Goetze. They had a recreational team that played local games and Marco wasn't going to miss a chance to kick around a ball(instead of studying) even if it was a pretty chilly morning, so Jerome had invited him to join. 

After a couple stretching exercises and jogging to build up a sweat under his sports kit, Mario gave him a water bottle and introduced him to some of the other players who were showing up. David Alaba was in the apartment above them and seemed like a really friendly guy as Mario and him chest-bumped after kicking the ball into the net against their goalie Wojciech. 

But the real surprise was seeing Robert Lewandowski on the field, talking to Mario. 

Robert Lewandowski whom Marco hadn't seen since their last disastrous hook-up. They had gotten into a big argument about how Robert was bonded and still sleeping around. Marco had felt guilty for being the one in the middle and promptly broke it off.

And here he was the polish devil himself, just standing there. 

Hell, Marco had to be in Hell. 

"Marco?" He heard two voices call his name, one in surprise and one in worry. He didnt even notice he had dropped his water bottle, which in hindsight was a dumb move and called attention to himself. 

"Yeah?" Marco grunted and avoided Robert's gaze by going to Mario's side. 

"Are you okay?" Mario looked at him and then turned to Robert who only shrugged and left to talk to Jerome giving the younger men some space.

"Hey," he nudged the blonde who finally responded.

"Um yeah, sorry. I was just surprised. You wanna do some sprints?" Marco tried to steer the subject away from elephant in the proverbial room and Mario nodded slowly, glancing back at Robert but not mentioning him.

"Sure, do you want to be in midfield with me?" 

Marco smiled crookedly and agreed. 

"As long as you teach me some of the fancy footwork I saw earlier." Then Marco saw the best thing he'd seen all day, Mario blushing at his compliment.

Okay, so maybe there was an angel with cute front teeth and dimples watching out for him in Hell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dont condone the Dany/Drogo relationship but I love the whole sun/moon analogy and I do think my version of Mats would be a total fanboy of Dany in Game of Thrones. 
> 
> And the plot thickens with new characters and some intrigue. Robert is really interesting to fictionalize. Stick around to find out who his bond mate is(I seem to have fallen into some crack ships with him so this is a big stretch for me)


	7. Say Something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert shrugged, "It's complicated. Not everyone is looking for a soulmate and a story book ending."

Mario hung back after the game to talk to Robert about what happened earlier.

"Hey Gotzhino, good game." Mario bumped a fist with the older man but kept staring in front of him to where Marco was chatting with David and Neven. 

"How do you know Marco?" He tried for casual but knew he failed as Robert stopped and gave him a calculating look as if they were back on the field.

"I don't think that's my story to tell, but we met at a function Kloppo did a long time ago. But uh I'm not getting in the way of your midfield chemistry," he joked, trying to lighten up the atmosphere.

"I don't want this to be a problem. He gets along with the others and he just moved in. I want him to have fun playing, not bringing his guard up every time you're around." Mario had a serious set to his jaw that made him look a bit petulant but Robert had to give him his due of not mincing any words. 

He enjoyed being on the team and worked with Mario from time to time on the pitch, never had a problem with the younger man until today. Clearly there was something brewing between the young Goetze and Marco.

"He's a bit like an armadillo isn't he? Rolls up and keep you out of it until he wants to talk. I think you have a shot though, of getting him to stop doing it as much. Marco keeps the world at a distance because he's afraid of the unknown. Trust me, I've spent enough time with him to get--"

"No," the quiet but angry note stopped Robert from his spiel.

"I don't know and at this point I don't care to know why there's bad blood between you but you don't get to say that about him. You don't get to psychoanalyze him when he's ten feet away from us. 

You're forgetting I know Jerome and I'm the one who sees you at his door when you're too drunk to let your bullshit speak for you. I get that you're happy enough to ignore marks and conventional relationships but don't lump Marco into your little club because of his choices. He's not like you at all." The bitterness that seeped into his tone surprised Mario. 

He supposed it was a long time coming with the dance Jerome and Robert had been playing at since they met. Mario had been there for Jerome as he figured out what he wanted, which currently wasn't Robert and Mario didn't judge because he knew the man had given up his life when his wife decided it was best to separate.

She couldnt handle the fact that Jerome was marked by someone else. They had both assumed they would never get marked and their twin girls had no idea it was an issue until it spun out of control. 

So yes, Mario was looking out for his friends and had been harboring quite a bit of anger towards the taller man. 

The dam had only seemed to break when Marco came into the picture but either way, Robert was on his shit list for a reason. 

Mario was a forgiving person, he was slow to anger and more often than not would rather call it even then hold a grudge and he knew Robert had his own issues to sort out so he couldn't blame the man entirely because Jerome was guarded in his own way. 

He just hated whenever Robert put on his air of mystery and spouted crap to get away from the real problem or question. 

"Alright, it's possible Marco has changed since I saw him last and I stand by my opinion, but I can't change what happened with Jer. So don't accuse me with your puppy eyes." Robert wasn't angry but his face changed into something more closed off, his eyes a little more shaded.

Mario snorted lightly but said nothing besides a "see you next saturday". He skipped off to catch up to Marco. 

Robert shook his head and went to Wojciech's side.

"What was that about?" Woj gave him a mock scrutinizing look but meant no harm by it.

"I think it's young love or pent up anger." Woj raised an eyebrow and seemed to connect the dots between what Robert was saying and what he meant. 

It was a full-time job being best friends with the Lewandowski enigma. He had many years of decoding the fine line of truth and evasion Robert used.

"That blonde lad is the same Marco you had that rebound with? And Mario's new squeeze? Oho boyo, that's a fine mess. What a small world." Woj clapped a hand on his back, keeping it there to rub some of the tension out.

Robert took a deep breath, "Yeah."

\---

Lukas felt pretty lost as he waved to his parents goodbye. He had tried his best to be himself around Bastian but something was holding him back from really connecting to the other man. The others in the house had tried to give them more space but that wasn't the problem. There was plenty of space and time to get to know the other, but Lukas felt as if he were swimming against the current as he tried to be friendly with the Bavarian. 

He wasn't sure what was wrong with him. He had spoken to Monika the night before about it and she had suggested to ask Bastian to stay for a little while longer as they had a few more weeks until they went through with the second part of Micha's plan. 

"Lukas, you can't keep avoiding the issue at hand. I'm not going to love you any less if you....go for Bastian." She hesitated on the phrasing but sounded no less honest for it. Lukas stood in silence, trying to gather his thoughts about the situation. 

On one hand, Monika had been understanding, had been very supportive of all of it, from Micha's plan to Lukas spending an indefinite amount of time with Bastian. On the other hand, he was thrown for a loop. It was confusing to be around Bastian because Lukas was aware of his attraction but wasn't sure what to do.

Which was completely irrational. 

Lukas had always appreciated good-looking people. It came from being a model and a constant flirt. He could easily identify the best features of a person but stuck around for their personality. It was probably the only way he had made friends through the years, shamelessly flirting with them and then getting to know them. 

But he couldn't do that this time. It was much too serious of a matter. He was his soulmate for god's sake. 

"Lukas?" 

"I don't know how to do this, Monika. I'm scared of messing it all up." He practically whispered into the phone. Monika had decided to leave for another shoot after making an appropriate appearance to visit his 'sick' relative, but Lukas selfishly wanted her to be here with him. 

"Oh, Lukas. This isn't easy for any of us, but you're thinking too much. He'd be lucky to have you. You are so important to me, you know that? You're my best friend and we've been together for this long, but I won't let you throw away your happiness for some misguided guilt or whatever is going on in that pretty head of yours. I've made my peace with this. You should too."

And that was what Lukas was trying to do, not overthink it.

"Bastian?" He had been listlessly turning his fork as they had dinner together. The Schweinsteiger male had to go back home tomorrow and Lukas' stomach had been in knots for the whole day. 

"Yes?"  
\---

David had stuck around to play some games with Mario and Marco had been fruitlessly sitting at his desk to get some words down for his thesis. It wasn't really happening. He poked his head out of his door when Mario sang victory. 

The younger had stopped throwing verbal abuse at Alaba when he noticed their audience. "Sorry," he sheepishly apologized.

"Were we being too loud?" Marco bit his lip, nothing gained if nothing was risked. Mats had been scolding him through various messages about his hermit-turtling ways. In some ways, Mats was worse than his mother because she wouldn't attack him through various applications on his phone. 

"What were you playing?" David shook his head like a dog shaking off the rain.

"Mario's the king of the mountain. I've been sorely losing since I moved in two years ago. I think it's all the aggression from dealing with customers. Gives him video game powers. But Tekken is the game of the hour." Marco mentally rejoiced that it wasn't Mario Kart or Super Smashbros. He smirked and let his notebook go on standby mode. 

"Do you mind if I join in?" Mario looked like an eager puppy at the question and David rolled his eyes, leaving his controller on the coffee table to grab some chips in the kitchen. 

"You can use my controller. I'm done for the day. I'll take my revenge by eating this bastard's stash of junk food." David joked. Mario looked at bit scared and missed Marco sauntering to take a seat on the couch. Tekken was one of the games he was _really_ good at and he had enough confidence in his ability to win against Mario. 

"You're a human garbage disposal, Alaba, don't you dare." David took out his phone and shook it. "Fine, I'll get some pizza and wings. You opposed to cheese or spice Reus?" 

"No ham, and I'm more of a mild guy myself." Mario was choosing his characters, trusting David to know what he wouldn't like. Marco quickly went through the menus and knew who to start out with. 

"Can do, dude." 

\---

"Would you..." Bastian looked up from his stew. He hoped Lukas wasn't going to ask him for the salt. The weekend had gone by in an instant. He thought they were more comfortable around each other but Lukas had abruptly gone back to silence after his parents had left them for the day and the rest of Bastian's stay. 

He had enjoyed conversing with all of the Podolskis who were very open about their bondings and the little things that made their family special. Bastian hadn't grown up with much of an extended family and being around all those different generations had been delightful. The Schweinsteiger family hadn't had a multiple bond in many generations and Sarah had become more of a family member than his uncle who still gave the brothers a funny look on the holidays. To have it as an open expectation was vastly different than a tiny secret of the family.

It gave Bastian more perspective on what Lukas had gone through, meeting his platonic in a very similar way that he had. Though, it had taken less time for Sarah to find her romantic bondmate than Lukas. 

"Stay with me?"

Bastian dropped all pretenses of eating and met Lukas' eyes. For the first time in his stay, Lukas didn't shy away from his gaze. The determination in them made his heart swell and beat faster. How did he get so lucky, to be stuck with Lukas Podolski as a soulmate? Who would invite a stranger into his house and try his hardest to know a person before committing to a mark. How wasn't everyone in love with Lukas(but they were, he had seen it online, they had nothing ill to speak of when it came to Prinz Poldi)

"Yes. I-can I hug you?" Lukas laughed and the mirth that he found in his eyes would be something Bastian could never retell in years to come. It was relief and happiness and a breakthrough for them.

Bastian wrapped his arms around Lukas and he could feel the other man take a deep breath. 

"Thank you." The deep voice rumbled and Bastian just held on tighter.

\---  
"No way!" David crowed and raised a sticky hand to give Marco a high-five. Mario huffed around a piece of pizza. 

"Third time's the charm. You've been uncrowned, Mario." Mario stuck out his tongue and dramatically bowed to Marco, who looked like a smug cat who ate a very large meal. It was a close game but Marco had won fair and square. 

"I've got to tell the others." Mario sent David a wounded look as he decided to bother Jerome next door and texted with one hand, leaving their front door open.

"So would you want to go to the wedding with me?" Marco felt like he was going to have a heart attack, he was riding the victory wave and basically blurted out whatever was on his mind. If he survived this mortifying moment he would have to tell Andre that all those hours of story mode and randomized choices had gone in his favor. Maybe he would even thank him.

Mario brushed his hair back and smiled slowly, "Of course Marco, I would love to." Marco felt his ears turn red and upgraded Andre's gift to a video game. 

"Cool, I'm gonna go...wash my hands!" He stumbled over the carpet in his haste to get to the bathroom. 

To: Goatfucker

Asked Mario 2 wedding. Pwned at Tekken. Owe u 1.

He turned the sink on and washed his hands, splashing some water on his face for good measure. That had to be the dumbest 20 seconds of his young life and that was saying something since he was friends with the devil and a satyr.

From: Goatfucker

No1 uses pwned nemore. Be over in 5.

Marco didn't care that Andre would probably make them play something he was extremely bad at(Andre was the Rainbow Road king) and lose all the credibility he had with David as champion. He had a date for the ceremony and Mats would finally stop sending him weirdly threatening IMs

 

(Somewhere else Mats sneezed and sniffled.

"Don't get sick." 

"Shush, I'm Batman."

"Please don't tell me I'm Robin, that's just creepy."

"Obviously you're my Catwoman.  
Ooh no, I'm the Lois Lane to your Superman!")

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was a doozy. Next chapter is the wedding! Andre the DJ and Neuller antics ahead. Also a big reveal on Robert's love life.


	8. If I Ain't Got You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding chapter <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No lukas and bastian this chapter but Andre does cry.

He heard a knock and tugged at the bowtie after retying it for the millionth time. Damn Mats and his dumb dress code. Best man duties shouldn't extend beyond a bachelor party and having the rings, wearing a bowtie was just too much. It was probably Andre who had been designated their driver for the night under threat of Mats ripping his jugular out Mortal Kombat style. No one had wanted to test Mats right before the ceremony. He seemed one push away from losing it completely.

"Andre, you have hands, use them." He ripped the door open in frustration and found not Andre, but Robert looking ridiculously handsome in his suit. Marco blinked hard, hoping it was a mirage but he wasn't in the desert and he had plenty of water in him. He hadn't even known Robert was invited to the ceremony. 

"Hi?"

"I wanted to explain myself, before the wedding. I didn't want to cause a scene or something to happen just because we were at the same event. You never got the whole story before we broke it off. Jerome and I hated each other when we first met..." Robert shuffled his weight a little, lowering his voice as his eyes darted back to the hallway.

Marco had to pick up his jaw from the ground along with his manners. He sidestepped into the kitchen and let Robert in. 

"You mean Boa? My neighbor Jerome, that Jerome?" He tried to imagine it but really couldn't, because Jerome had brought his twins over one afternoon and Robert didn't fit with children in any scenario in Marco's head.

"Yeah, he was in a relationship, wife and kids and was fine without a mark on him. It was stupid, we met at the gym and it happened. We decided to go our separate ways and I met you." He paused and looked to the ceiling for a moment before continuing. Marco felt as if he was on the other side of a confessional or maybe on camera.

"I never wanted you to feel like I was using you to be the cheatee or however you want to call it. I get that you're with Mario now and I'm not going to get between you two.

Besides I'm with Wojciech."

Marco was spinning in all direction at the information divulged but managed to interrupt with an unmanly squeak. He appreciated the explanation but what in the hell was Robert doing. 

"I'm not with Mario. We're roommates. You're with Woj? What about Jerome? Does Szczesny know?" That had gotten him in trouble last time. Marco felt at odds with the urge to help Robert stop being such an asshole and leaving it to someone else. 

Robert shrugged, looking at the wall that happened to be shared with the mentioned man's apartment.

"It's complicated. Not everyone is looking for a soulmate and a story book ending. It's an open secret on the team. Wojciech understands." Marco's laugh sounded more like a bark when he heard Robert's explanation.

"Jesus, man, do you even hear yourself? Newsflash Robert, everyone's messed up in this world, but you've managed to wrap yourself completely in your own shit. Woj doesn't deserve your mess. I just met him and I know that, so do yourself a fucking favor and stop trying to find comfort in every bed you fall into." Robert slammed a hand on the counter but kept his distance.

"I know that, Marco. I'm trying, by doing this, by not leading Wojciech on, by being a better friend to Jer. Okay? We were friends and I messed that up after Anna left me and--well you know. That's what I like about you Marco, you saw through all my bullshit." Marco rolled his eyes and saw Mario standing quietly in the living room.

"I think you should leave Lewy. One final piece of advice though? Everyone sees through your bullshit, you're the only one that thinks it makes a decent mask. I would like to be your friend, but you gotta stop being your own enemy first." Robert was shocked, and as he looked at Mario moving in to Marco's side, he realized he was wrong. 

Marco had changed. Robert was the one that had been at a standstill, digging a deeper hole for himself after his father had died and Anna had left him and he found his fucking soulmate. 

He knew some bonded pairs didn't work out. He had researched it, and that was one of the things Marco and he had agreed on. They had clicked onto the subject, Robert bringing up the psychology behind it and Marco the sociological aspect. Kloppo had practically pissed himself laughing when he pitted them against some of his grad students at the time. 

He had always thought he would be an out-lier until Jerome came along and threw him for a loop. He had been angry, because the chances were astronomically low of him not being marked but he had banked on it, had thrived on it really. His father had always told him to keep going even in the face of despair and Robert had taken it to heart. 

"Fuck," He felt hands grab him and gently lead him out of the apartment straight to Jerome's, who looked at Mario and gestured to leave them. 

"I'd say you're a sight, but you don't seem to be in the mood for jokes. What happened?" Jerome's feet were poking out of his long sweatpants and Robert couldn't control his reactions well enough to not laugh a bit brokenly.

"I fucked this all up." 

"Are you okay?" Mario fleetingly touched his arm and Marco almost wished he could feel it through the layers of the penguin suit he had on. He nodded, still a bit amazed at himself for saying what he needed to say to Lewy. 

He had missed him in a weird way, not the spiraling into his own mistakes Lewy, but the one who could sarcastically bitch slap an idiot in a debate and the one Mats had pranked with glitter and papermache. Marco had always thought he had been hung up on the fact that Lewy didn't give a damn about his bondmate but really, he had been hurt by the omission. He hadn't told any of them about having a name and it wasn't like Marco who hadn't peeked at his wrist since he was younger. 

Somewhere along the line of fucking and lying about it, Marco had stopped recognizing his friend and then Robert had announced he was leaving the city. 

It was the end of their friendship, but he had missed the Robert he had met in the beginning, not the asshole that hid behind all of his mindfuckery. 

"I think I needed that. Or he needed that. I don't know. It's weird. I'm glad though." Mario still looked a bit concerned and went to get a bottle of water from the fridge which reminded Marco of something else.

"I never thanked you for talking to him. I know you must've said something because he didn't approach me last Saturday and I know he's like a dog with a bone, he won't let go unless something or someone interferes." He took the bottle of water and took a big gulp, carefully avoiding spilling. "Would you mind helping me with this tie?"

Mario grabbed the fabric and tied it easily, tweaking it a bit and absentmindedly smoothing out Marco's shoulders.

"How long were you standing there? I mean, I didn't see you until the end." 

He cleared his throat and answered, "Not long. I heard the bang and came out of my room. Saw Robert and figured I shouldn't get in the way. I didn't-I don't know what went on between you but I know Robert's, well, he's difficult to handle sometimes." Marco laughed genuinely this time and checked his phone for the time. 

"Where the hell is Andre. I could get myself to the ceremony at this rate." 

\---

"Where are they? I'm gonna strangle those knuckleheads with my bare hands. Do you think they would charge me if I said I was under duress?" Mats paced the carpet in his black tux. Benedikt grabbed his swinging arms and made him stand still. 

"Take deep breaths, they'll be here. It'll all be fine." The blonde looked at his watch and mentally calculated how much leeway he would have to give them in order for Mats to not actually murder them. The Hoewedes man was in a sharp light grey tux because he was under no circumstances wearing white. He would've inevitable spilled something on it and he personally thought he looked better in the grey.

("I'm not the bride in this scenario, you're always the girl in your fictional comparisons anyway."

"Yeah, but I can't pull off white, Bene. Looks weird with my hair.")

Marco popped his head into the room and held up his hands as he crossed the threshold. "In my defense, it's all Andre's fault. He's your DJ and my chauffeur. He used his time wisely by checking the sound system or something." Mats smacked Marco upside the head and then took a deep breath. 

"Jesus christ!" "No cursing." Mats warned.

"This isn't a bloody church, you maniac." Marco rubbed his head.

"It's my wedding. GO get the music started or something, you good for nothing--" Benedikt cleared his throat. Both friends looked at him and then straightened up. Mats was still shooting lasers out of his eyes but Marco produced a tiny bottle of whiskey for forgiveness.

"Liquid courage?" He shook the bottle and Mats snatched it out his hands while Benedikt shook his head in amusement. Any other man would've been a bit afraid of Mats immediately gulping down the liquor but Bene knew it was just the leftover adrenaline from getting everything set up just right.

They were getting married.

It was in a nice hotel space that had been separated for months. The reception was going to be on the floor below in a bigger space. It was going to be officiated by Benedikt's grandfather, even if it wasn't a religious ceremony. The certificate was going to be signed after the vows and exchanging of rings. Mats was practically vibrating and Benedikt brushed his thumb across his knuckles to soothe him. 

He gave him a peck on the cheek and left with Manuel to his designated spot. 

"You're giving me motion sickness, Hummels. Calm down." Marco snarked and Mats stopped for a second before slumping into a seat. 

"I just want everything to be perfect. I need it to be perfect for Bene." Marco carefully gave him a side hug and a thumbs up. Mats didn't feel like strangling his best friend anymore, but he did feel a bit misty-eyed at what a dork Marco was.

"Mats, I haven't seen you work this hard since that time you made the orchestra pit do a night of the living dead impression in high school. Everything is perfect. Trust me, all you have to do is sign on the dotted line and give that man out there a big kiss. You've been waiting for this for ages. Don't let all the little details get in the way of the best day of your life, besides meeting me of course." Marco assisted him out of the chair with a hand and he checked the suit for wrinkles.

"That _was_ a good day. Thanks, Woody." He choked up a bit but Marco only smiled crookedly and gave him a pat on the back.

"No problem Buzz. Now go get your bond recognized." Marco left to take his place and get the violinists ready. (Some of those orchestra members were still friends with Mats after the crazy shenanigans he had led) 

He took a steadying breath and opened the doors. 

\---

"We are here today to see my grandson, Benedikt Hoewedes and Mats Julian Hummels recognize the bond given to them by the universe as the one meant for the other. When Benedikt was not even a thought, I had met the young woman who would bear the soul that would match my grandson's and thought, well, my daughter had chosen a fine friend to make, not knowing what would be in store for both these boys in front of me.

I swear to you, my Henrietta would've put their cribs side by side if she could convince Frank to move in with the Hummels." At that there was some laughter and a teary mother in the front of the aisle nodding along with the story.

"These fine men grew up side by side even if their cribs were not, and I don't think any of us were surprised that the toddlers who napped together ended up being soul-bound. And who are we to argue with what the fates declare to be true? Benedikt had always kept Mats in his heart when making a decision and now we are here at the biggest decision he's ever made along with Mats, to declare their love for each other. They have prepared their own vows which they will now read. Mats?" 

Mats licked his lips and cleared his throat, hoping his voice wouldn't shake too badly. 

"Benedikt Hoewedes, you are my sun and stars. You make every morning better and every day worth living and I couldn't imagine my life without you because you and I are made of the same stuff. I once read that soulmates are what they are because every atom that makes me has been near the atoms that make you since the beginning of the universe. And I believe it with all my heart, because you've pulled me in since we were kids and all I wanted to do was hold your hand when I got scared at a sleepover." Benedikt smiled and held up their joined hands just to prove the point.

Mats blinked away some tears. 

"I have pretty much dreamed about this day since we first kissed in the backyard of my old house and now that it's here, the dream has become a reality because you're the one my soul calls home. We started this adventure twenty years ago and I hope we have many more years ahead of us to explore the world together. I love you, Bene, and this ring says that love is for forever and always." 

There was a bit of choking from Andre and Kevin whispered a 'get yourself together man' as quietly as he could, which wasn't as quiet as he would've liked. Marco sniffled a bit from where he stood in the wings with Mats' brother. He looked out to the seats to catch Mario's gaze, who smiled slightly and went back to gaze at the main stage as Benni started his vows.

He held both of Mats' hands between them, staring a bit at the silver band on his finger.

"Mats Julian Hummels, I have loved you ever since I saw you, even if I didn't know what that meant at the tender age of four." Benedikt was solely focused on Mats, as if he were the only one in the room he was speaking to.

"I swore to anyone who would hear me long enough that I would marry you when I was ten and haven't stopped saying it since. I am so lucky to have found you so close and so early as I did, and I thank every star up in the sky that we didn't have to spend years looking for each other because I don't think I could've survived a minute without you in my life. You are just the right amount of crazy to offset all of my seriousness. You lift me up and I calm you down. We make the perfect team even if we support different clubs."

The laughter was a distant sound as they both stared into each other's eyes.

"Nothing else matters to me but your name on my wrist, this ring is just a bonus. I'm not very good at setting up your fictional analogies but, in this case, I think I'm the dragon that has been waiting to call you mine, because you're my treasure. So have this gold to tell the world that you belong with me." Mats wiped his eyes with a sleeve as Benedikt slid the ring on his finger. He laughed in disbelief before tackling him into a kiss. 

"I present to you, gathered friends and family, Mats Hoewedes and Benedikt Hummels." The cheers and whistles were deafening and Marco couldn't even berate them for making out on the floor like teenagers. He grinned like an idiot at finally seeing the lovebirds tie the knot. It really had been a long time coming. Andre came barreling through the stage to start sobbing at his shoulder. 

"It was so beautiful. I am so happy for them." Marco patted Andre's back and signalled to Kevin and Julian to usher everyone downstairs with some pretty complicated hand signals.

"Do you need some help?" Mario bumped into his side and Andre went in for another hug which was even more comical as Mario was shorter than he was.

"I need Andre to pull himself together because he has to entertain these people with music, not to mention set up for the first dance." 

The husbands finally came up for air and dusted off or groped each other before facing Grandpa Hoewedes who patiently waited for their signatures. Marco and Manuel looked at each other in commiseration and went to sign as witnesses. Mario stayed with Andre and calmed him down by asking questions about the music for tonight. 

\---

Mats and Benni hadn't let go of each other's hands since the ceremony. Their first dance was appropriately sappy and very touching as they both danced with Benni's mother for the second dance. Their fathers had given speeches in lieu of dancing with their sons and now it was Marco's turn to talk. 

He had written it down months before but had been tweaking it since. He had probably put more thought into this than any of his last three papers and now he was just going to drop everything and wing it. 

"So, I'm Marco Reus, Mats' best man because I told Mats, 'brothers don't count, deal with it.' Sorry Jonas, but I'm pretty sure I could take you in a fight." The other man laughed and motioned with his fists, miming a boxer. 

"See, look at your poor form, anyway, I met Mats and Benni in high school. Mats and I instantly bonded over Dortmund and I couldn't believe he would be in love with a Schalker, what a traitor to our cause! Yeah, I see you shaking your head, I guess I shouldn't have led with that, but then I realized what Mats and Benni had was beyond rivalries. They were made for each other. It wasn't Mats Hummels and Benedikt Hoewedes, it was Mats-and-Benni and that was that. 

I've been through a lot with them, seeing them move out, moving in with them, Mats landing his first article and Benni's thinning hair. But I think the best thing I've learned from them is to not take anything for granted. They were probably the best example of love I could have had growing up besides my parents and I'm proud to call them my friends. Today is the day love conquered all, Mats and Benni. No one will ever be able to take that away from you. So here's to you, cheers." He took his glass and gulped a bit down.

Mats wiped a fake tear and whisper-shouted over the clapping of the other guests, "That was terrible." 

But he still had a huge grin on his face so Marco figured it had been decent enough. Benedikt nodded at him in thanks. 

The party had only just begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will have neuller bros and lahm so stick around.


	9. You Make Me Feel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Who's that making out with Manu?" Mats giggled as he took another sip of the giant wine goblet. Benedikt turned around like a heat-seeking missile for the tall model who was indeed sucking on someone's face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is basically an interlude.

DJ Easy A, or Andre Schurrle as he was more commonly known had queued up a pretty smashing playlist and went to get his first and only drink of the night. He was taking his duty as the Goetze-Reus's designated driver seriously. He wanted to ply Marco with alcohol to grease the wheels on that love train. It was his duty as best friend and second in command of the Plan to get Marco completely smashed and who was he to deny the newly married Commander.

"Rum and Coke please." He slid onto a bar stool like a fool. He really didn't need alcohol to have a good time. He just fed off of the party atmosphere and ran with it. 

There was a girl next to him and Andre prided himself on being friendly(without being a creep thank you very much)

"Hi, I'm Andre, how do you know the grooms? I don't think I've seen you around." The girl sighed and stared forlornly at her phone sitting on the bar top next to a half-empty drink. 

"I don't. I mean, I was someone's plus one. Sorry, I'm-My boyfriend just dumped me over text. Can you believe that? A text message! Eighteen months over just like that. God, I'm sorry. I should probably stop drinking if I'm telling all my problems to a stranger." 

Andre took a sip of his drink and tried to cheer the girl up.

"Well, I'm not going to judge if you do stop drinking, but I think you just got a pass to drink as much as you want town. Seriously, that sucks. Over a year and not even the decency to do it face to face? Damn girl, you should enjoy yourself, not think about that jerk." He pitched his voice higher for the last part, hoping to get a laugh. 

Which she did, and it was really cute. Andre smiled with all his teeth, congratulating himself on a job well done. No one should be so depressed at the best wedding of the year. 

"You're right. I should totally forget about him. This is a great party with great people." She smiled at him and Andre looked around to his sides and pointed at himself in mock surprise. 

"Aw shucks. Thanks, I feel partly responsible since I'm the DJ. Gotta keep the party going you know? Here lemme buy you a drink. I swear I'm not trying to make a move. I do feel bad about He who shall not be named. So I think we can't be strangers anymore. I'm Andre or DJ Easy A, or Schurrle to my enemies."

She giggled again and waved the bartender over. 

"I'm Monika Yorke." 

\---

"Who's that making out with Manu?" Mats giggled as he took another sip of the giant wine goblet. Benedikt turned around like a heat-seeking missile for the tall model who was indeed sucking on someone's face quite vigorously.

He also saw Andre dancing with a dark haired girl and Robert Lewandowski sitting at a table, looking as pristine as always.

"I don't know. I though Robert wasn't coming?"

"Uh duh, I mean I sent him an invite but he never--wait he's here? What a dirty slaaag, he didn't even RSVP." Mats was swaying a little in his seat or throne as he liked to call it. 

"Darling, you're distracting me. Shit, is Thomas cutting the cake?" Benedikt saw the lanky photographer wrestling Philipp with a spatula. Mats stood up and let out a warcry.

"THOMAS ANTHONY MUELLER, let go of my baker!"  
\---

Marco was having a great time and he was very, very warm. He had to remember to tell Andre he liked this song.

"I'm glad you came with me." He yelled at Mario over the music. Kevin had his head down on the table, possibly passed out or just tired. He poked him. They had done shots together and now Marco was the last man standing or sitting. 

"I'm glad you asked." Mario was amused at the difference alcohol made in the blonde. Mats and Benni made rounds to all the tables and probably contributed to the high blood alcohol levels in the room just by daring people to drink from the giant goblet they had to share for the night. 

The rules were anyone could pour anything into the goblet and to drink with one of the grooms, they had to do so through the heavy-duty straws in the goblet. Mario had seen Marco try to race Mats by sucking down the weirdly pink liquid to the bottom of the goblet twice already. They hadn't succeeded but Marco was completely blitzed off whatever concoction that was plus the shots Kevin had brought over. 

He had started stripping after the third shot and Mario had to admit he looked much more comfortable with his sleeves rolled up and without the bowtie. 

"I spy Lewy with Jerome." The drunk man was leaning into him. That was another change, Marco was apparently a touchy-feely drunk. Mario looked at the direction Marco was pointing at and did see Jerome, who had cleaned up nicely. They made quite a good-looking pair and Mario almost felt envious because he could never pull off a suit that well.

"You know, I didn't think Mats invited him 'cuz I had to lie about it. And that wasn't cool. Mats was our friend and Lewy said we shouldn't tell anyone that we were fucking. But I mean, Mats isn't stupid." Marco sounded upset and Mario felt that old anger flare up again because Robert was obviously an idiot for hurting Marco.

"But Lewy was the stupid one. He is stupid, Jerome is great and kids shouldn't be a dealbreaker." He warbled on, grabbing onto Mario's arm as if he were trying to steady himself on a rocking boat.

"I mean his soulmate is right there!" He gestured with his other hand. He looked directly into Mario's eyes with his own wide eyes, pressing his surprisingly cool hands onto his cheeks. 

"How can he just sit there, cool as a cucumber, and why are cucumbers cool? Who came up with that, because I don't think cucumbers, and automatically think cool. But Lewy is stupid because he's being a cucumber." Marco grimaced as he did a weird cross between a hiccup and a burp but continued valiantly. "I'm all for choice, because I'm not gonna let some mystical mojo tell me what to do, but something just makes sense with them. I want him to be happy, not a sad asshole." He slumped into Mario, leaning his head on his shoulder and Mario automatically put an arm around him.

"Hey, maybe we should stop talking about Robert. I'll get you some water." 

"No, please stay. I can't stop spinning. I'll shut up, just don't leave." 

Marco readjusted his head, clinging to Mario with both arms. He was awfully warm and cuddly like a teddy bear. He closed his eyes to get more comfortable.

"Marco?"

The blonde was passed out in his arms. He sighed softly. It seemed like every time Mario built up the courage to talk to Marco, something happened.

\---

"Dammit, where is Manu? He can wrangle you, you cake-stealing butthead." Mats stared sadly at his mocha-chocolate cake that had been ruined by a greedy Thomas. Benni had left his side for the first time that night to look for Thomas' soul-bro. Philipp looked exasperated by the whole thing and felt a little responsible for Thomas getting the knife in the first place. 

"Thomas, why did you have to go after the wedding cake?" He groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry folks. This was a bit rushed as the next chapter is a time jump.


	10. Mr. Brightside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A farewell party, some good news, some bad news and Marco angsting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're in the home stretch y'all

It wasn't a surprise to anyone when Lukas turned up with Monika to the farewell party but no one expected him to show up without his cuffs and a megawatt smile saying, "I found another soulmate!"

Marco honestly wanted to punch him in the face but figured it wouldn't be polite being the host and all. A crash in the kitchen made him rethink the whole party idea but it was just his luck he lived in an off-campus apartment with one of the nicest, most sociable guy he's ever met. That was the second time someone in their circle had found another soulmate in the span of three weeks. Manu had practically staged in intervention to catch the kid(because hello, he was younger than Marco.) Thomas was still complaining about his speeding ticket just to harass the taller man.

It seemed like the wedding had been the catalyst for a lot of things. Excepting his love life, everyone seemed to be settling and finding someone. 

Even Andre had starting talking to a girl he met at the wedding(he denied it being a relationship, but his dumb smile every time he got a text from her proved otherwise). He glanced around for Mario, but didn't find him in the packed space. Mats and Benni were going to leave for a well-deserved vacation slash honeymoon and Marco had graciously(more like Mats forced him as his best man) hosted the party to send them off. It was a more intimate party but it still seemed like there was a revolving door of people coming in and out of his small apartment. 

He would've been more worried about a noise complaint or something if his neighbors weren't also friends, and knew the couple. Marco had a ton of surprises that day including Mats being friends with Jerome.

Jerome had been roped into helping decorate and move some furniture to create some more space. Mario brought out a small collapsible table from the bistro to put any extra presents or things for the husbands. They had also brought in some chairs and stools to line the living room and kitchen. He knew most of the people coming hadn't had a chance to go to the wedding because of school or work and Mats had cooked this plan up to get more presents and show off his brand new husband(Marco had scoffed and refrained from saying anything mean. They were back to old ways after the wedding) 

Mats opened the door, coming in carried by Benni. 

"Good god, man it's been long enough, stop making poor Benni carry you over every threshold." Marco sniped as he took out a beer for the better of the two men at his door. 

"Every threshold, even public ones?" Jerome asked and Benni looked shiftily at the beer and refused to answer. Mats laughed happily and went to bear hug Jerome who promptly swung him around as if it had been a practiced move.

"I saw you at the wedding, did you get me a present Jer-bear?" Marco looked up from picking at a spot on the kitchen counter and scrunched his face in confusion, "You two know each other?" Benedikt choked on his beer and coughed a bit before answering for them.

"Where do you think we went every Saturday morning? We're on the rival team for Jerome's team." Marco thought back to the Saturdays he spent at Casa Hummels-Hoewedes but couldn't think of anything to indicate them being on a football team. He had slept in on the weekends, and maybe his first Saturday in his new apartment had been a little disorienting so he had been up way before his usual alarm. 

And then he kept going to practice because he wanted to spend more time with Mario, and the team, which he sacrificed sleep for.

"I don't know, I thought you were sleeping or doing indecent things." Jerome burst out into laughter at that. 

"Well, I'm sure they did afterwards. If these two weren't on the same team, I would be worried about--" Mats slapped a hand over his mouth and cheekily grinned. "Oh no, Jerome, there are virgin ears in the room. He'll find out when he's older. So, what about that present? Don't think I didn't see you with Robert, who didn't have the decency to say hi or come to the ceremony on time."

Jerome rolled his eyes and asked if he accepted checks.

Marco just looked at Benni who was picking at the label of his beer bottle absentmindedly. "Has he been like that all this time? It's like Mats Hummels on crack." Benedikt just smiled and offered his help on whatever he could.

The party seemed to be a success and Mats looked pretty happy with the turnout and his loot. Marco reminded himself to slip his box in before they left. He had bought them national team jerseys with their (new) last names on them and tickets to a Dortmund game.

He saw Mario and Jerome come out of Mario's room. For a split second, Marco felt his heart drop but then observed more carefully, watching Jerome ruffling Mario's hair and making a visibly upset Mario smile a bit. There had been something wrong with him since the week of the ceremony. At first, Marco had thought he had been inappropriately drunk or said something he shouldn't have but Mario had reassured him that wasn't it. They had gotten home safe with Andre helping him up the stairs and tucking him into bed. Nothing funny besides passing out in Mario's arms.

His brother Fabian had called him during that week and Mario had been weird since. He figured it was a family situation and left it alone but it had been practically a month since then and Marco couldn't help but worry.

He had even tried to get him to watch Star Wars with him, but Mario had declined citing too much work for school. It was the end of term and Marco pretty much had a procrastination with frantically working time table worked out until December. The lovebirds had decided to skip the last two weeks of school and get an extension for the last two classes Mats had. 

The year had flown by, and between everything that had happened, Marco still felt unprepared to give his thesis presentation. There was something missing, his adviser kept saying. He had changed paragraphs, had changed the flow of the argument, had done practically everything he could think of to get that extra oomph, Flick had asked for. 

And now Mario was closed off and not as sunny, Marco wanted to help, but didn't know how.

A shout from Mats distracted him from going over to Mario and Marco got to see the devil jump on Lukas as if he were going to kiss him. 

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, oh prince of my heart! Sorry Benni, Lukas just gave me the best late wedding present ever!" Benni meandered over to the two and shook Lukas' hand in greeting along with kissing Monika's cheek. Marco took a step towards Mario but then thought of his hosting duties and chickened out to go find out what Lukas had promised Mats, since he couldn't see any sort of physical present in his or Monika's hands. 

The tabloids had started a rumor that Monika had broken up with Poldi after he canceled a very important shoot in Brazil. No one had seen them together since then, but Marco never paid much attention to the rumors. They seemed fine. There wasn't any weird tension between them. Which was always present in some cases, like with Robert and Jerome, no matter how hard they tried to get over it.

"Poldi, welcome back. There's food and beer in the kitchen. Monika, you look amazing, way too dressed up to be hanging around this asshole." She laughed and gently slapped his arm. Mats gave him a weird look, before whispering to Benni about something.

"Marco, you wound me." Poldi grabbed his chest in exaggeration. "Someone has to keep your ego in check, old man." Mario and Jerome came up to introduce themselves. Jerome took a celebrity in his presence with the same amount of cool he did everything, but Mario was smiling, starstruck at Prinz Poldi and Monika Puchalski.

He was smiling and Marco felt irrationally jealous about it. 

"Mario Goetze, pleased to meet you. Wow, I've never had a celebrity in my apartment before." Lukas laughed boisterously and loudly, attracting more attention to himself. "Well, I'm glad to be here, Mario. You live with Marco?" The man already had two soulmates, he didn't need to flirt with everybody. 

Mats butt in, "More like Marco, my spring chickadee, lives with him." He winked and Mario blushed. Marco turned to go to the kitchen, not wanting to see any more. Benedikt followed him and bumped a shoulder with his. 

"Are you alright?" The fluorescent light above them caught the gleam of Benni's silvery(it was actually white gold, he had been there when Mats had picked it out) ring and Marco swallowed thickly, wishing he hadn't drank so much at the wedding. He had a feeling he was the problem Mario didn't want to talk about. He felt it in his gut and it seemed like it was proving to be right. 

"Yeah, just my thesis, the board day is coming up and it still feels unfinished no matter how many times I change it." Benni lifted his hand to put it on his shoulder, but Marco flinched so he set it down.

"I can look it over if you want an extra pair of eyes. Not my usual subject but maybe that'll help?" Marco nodded and smiled weakly, trying to not look as put out as he felt. "Yeah, I'll email it to you." Benni had already done it last years and had been fine, even if it was a different process for engineers, Marco could benefit from it. 

"Maybe you should let it be." Benni grabbed two beers from the fridge and opened both, passing him one. 

"What?" Marco was once again distracted by his thoughts. 

"Maybe you should just not look at it for a bit. Give it a week then take a look at it with a clear head. I know I needed a break from writing and rewriting and nitpicking before presenting it to the panel or else I would've lost it. Take some time to do something for yourself. Stressing out about it won't make it any better." Marco frowned and took a long pull of his bottle. 

His liver probably wanted to riot after this semester.

"I guess, thanks Benni." "No problem." Benni scooted out to get Mats under control and off Poldi's back. 

"Are you okay?" Mario asked and Marco jumped, startled, wondering why that was the question on Mario's mind the most with him. He bumped into the fridge with his back, trying to get some space between them, not sure if he was welcome to be in Mario's presence. 

"Are you?" He replied, not quite containing his bitterness. It wasn't that he hated secrets. People were allowed to have secrets, but Mario was his friend, and friends usually shared things right?

Mario stayed silent, looking down at his sleeve that reached past his wrists to his fingers and gave him an adorable quality that Marco couldn't stand right now. His hair was messy, probably from Jerome, and he looked tired or wounded or _something_ that Marco couldn't quantify. He forced himself into action, hoping to get somewhere in this mess.

"Can we talk in my room? The music is too loud." Mario nodded and followed him to the door with a 'DO NOT ENTER' sign which someone had drawn a reasonably good tiny Marco glaring in pen. 

He closed the door behind them. 

"Mario, what's wrong? I know something's wrong and if it's my fault, I'm sorry for whatever I did. I swear I didn't mean to do anything stupid." Mario choked back a laugh and Marco ran a hand through his hair in frustration. 

"You haven't done anything wrong. I told you." Marco shook his head. He reached out for Mario, getting closer. 

"You're lying, I know it." He lifted Mario's head with barely any pressure from his fingers. He kept avoiding his stare and that probably hurt more than anything else Marco had endured these past few years. He had a long-standing crush on The Waiter who had ultimately become his friend and now, it was like they barely knew each other. Mario hadn't exactly been ignoring him, but Marco could feel it, the distance between them.

"Tell me. If it's not me, tell me." He pleaded. Mario grabbed his wrist, his fingers warm around his cuff, tugging his hand away from his face.

"No, Marco." Their eyes connected and Marco's resolve broke. He kissed him. 

For that one moment, everything felt right. It wasn't fireworks, but it was like slotting a key into your door and feeling relief at being home after many months away. Mario grabbed at his hair, eagerly kissing back until they had to break apart for air. He backed away, looking afraid and Marco knew he had fucked up, but all he wanted to do was kiss him again.

"I can't do this. Marco, I--" He told himself rejection was better than avoidance. He tried to believe it.

"I get it. I'm sorry. I'll just go..." He gestured lamely at the door and at the not-so-quiet party outside of it. He felt drugged, stumbling from the rush of feelings in one moment to the next. He had thought since Mario had reciprocated...but it doesn't always work out like that, only in stupid movies. 

"Babe? Marco, Marco, what's wrong?" He was sick of people asking him that. Why couldn't they ask easier questions, like Marco, why are you such an idiot? Mats did another octopus impression and wrapped his limbs around him, taking him out of the aparment. He told Benni to call Andre and Julian and to get the party dispersed. 

"Hey, hey munchkin, gummi bear? kitten? Do you have your keys, we're going back to my place, okay?" Marco nodded numbly and handed over his keys. 

Things were a blur after that. He must've fallen asleep at some point after crying into Mat's bony shoulder because he woke up with a stuffed up nose and a blanket on him. 

"Hey sunshine," Marco pressed the heels of his palms into his eyeballs to stop himself from doing something stupid. He would take any and all pet names Mats threw at him except for that one. The luggage in front of the TV brought him back to the real world of responsibilities and work he should be doing. He couldn't take any of it. Didn't even want to think about it. 

"Don't call me that, just not now okay?" Mats set a plate of eggs on the coffee table and pushed back the hair on his forehead, taking his whole head with it. He stared straight at him with a very serious look on his face before smiling.

"You're going to be fine. Eat your eggs because I paid good money for them, grumpy." Marco grumbled but shoved the scramble into his mouth, aware he hadn't eaten much yesterday. He saw the presents scattered on the kitchen top and remembered he had never found out what Poldi's present was.

"What did Poldi say? I mean what was his present?" Mats clapped his hands and rubbed them before spinning, his excitement over it clearly not done. 

"He got me a job. Sort of, I mean you know how he's got another bond since he practically shouted it at the door but, he's also going to do a new spread in GQ, but he didn't want to get the gossip mongers to get that information first, so he hired me to do the interview with Bastian and Monika and him. He told GQ he wouldn't work with anyone else since he couldn't trust there wouldn't be a leak so now I'm being contacted by GQ and if they like my work, they'll hire me. Thomas is going to do the photos since he owes me after the cake incident."

Marco tried smiling but it fell flat. He wanted to get over it, he didn't want to stay in a perpetual state of sadness but god, he really thought it was going to work out. 

"Anyway, enough about me. We're leaving this afternoon, I gave Julian the extra key since you have one. You can stay for as long as you want since we're not gonna come back for a while. I got Andre to bring you some clothes and stuff. It's all in your old room. He's also gonna come by sometime today." 

"I don't need a babysitter." Mats snorted and waved off the complaint. 

"Julian is not your babysitter. He's your foodsource. God knows you haven't learned anything but pasta and mashed potatoes. He's actually a great cook. Don't tell him I told you that though. and Andre just cares, okay, he already talked to hobbit boy." Marco stopped eating. 

"What did he say?" Mats pursed his lips and shook his head. 

"I don't know, Marco, you're going to have to ask him. Now, up, you have to shower and I'm gonna set up your bed." He was worse than his mother but Marco wouldn't trade him for anybody else.

\---

Julian had come in and dropped off tupperware full of really good food that Marco wasn't sure if he believed the kid had made himself. After all, he was living in the dorms, where would he find a kitchen to make chicken parm? He hadn't said much since Mats had left and he didn't feel like watching TV or going on the internet to waste time. 

All he really wanted to do was go back home and ask Mario, why.

Marco didn't even know when his new apartment became 'home' to him. He had lived with Mats and Benni for twice as long and more but had never gotten into that mindset, knowing he would eventually move out to give the lovebirds their nest back. He stared at his phone, wondering if he should call his sister to ask for advice. 

Melanie, or Mel as he called her, lived in the US after an ugly separation from her bondmate. She would be coming back for the holidays as she always did, but sometimes he missed her fiercely. There wasn't a thing they couldn't talk about. Even if she was almost a decade older than him, he had always supported her and advised her when she had fallen into hard times. The last time he had called was when he had moved in with Mario and she had teased him about it.

Andre knocked and he got up to answer the door. 

"Hey sugar and spice, you up to watching a game? I brought some salsa and chips." He shook the bag in his hand with a dumb expression on his face.

"As long as it's not a Chelsea match." Andre shrugged but didn't commit to anything.

He turned on the television and waited for Andre to find the appropriate dishes to put all the junk food in. Rummaging in the fridge for some limes, Andre pulled out his secret weapon.

"Mats told me I shouldn't bring any alcohol into his abode butttt, what he doesn't know won't hurt him right?" He opened his backpack and a brand new tequila bottle was pulled out like a rabbit in a hat trick. Marco groaned, tequila was the worse and two out of three times he ended up on someone's floor for the night. 

"Don't bother with any glasses, just give me the bottle." Andre cradled the bottle to his chest and stuck out his tongue. 

"Oh no, you alcoholic. We're not gonna waste this on another binge. a) Mats would murder me for enabling, b) I don't want you to be a drunk for the rest of your life. You can't go running to a bottle every time you're upset. This tequila is special. You only get some if you start talking and answer my questions. I call it Truth or Tequila."

Marco bunched his pyjama pants in his fists and knew this was a terrible idea. "I don't want to talk about it." Andre flopped onto the couch after carefully putting everything on the table.

"Well, tough, I talked to Mario after everything yesterday and I need to know the full story before smacking some sense into both of you. I don't like when Mommy and Daddy fight." He made a face. He hoped he would never have a child like Andre, that would just be cruel.

"What did he say?" His dull tone impressed him, he would almost believe he didn't care if it wasn't him.

"Nope, Truth of Tequila. and yes, it's a Chelsea game, but you're not going to be watching it anyway. I just wanna see the goals, my mission tonight is you talking." Marco laughed and went for the bottle that was immediately taken out of his reach. Andre had height and reflexes in his court but Marco was determined.

"Don't make me give it to Julian." 

"Don't treat me like a child!" He got angry. Of course he didn't want to talk about it. He felt like his heart got stomped on and chewed on by a particularly nasty dog. He didn't want to relive the moment when Mario said no, when Mario he couldn't be with him even though he fucking kissed him back and the world stopped spinning for those stupid seconds.

"It's going to be okay, Marco, just tell me what happened." He carefully poured a shot of tequila for both of them. "First one is free."

\---

It had been three days since his self-imposed isolation from everything except Julian who had understood not to talk unless he wanted to get snapped at. He hadn't gone to class, emailing his professors about having the flu, being delirious with fever, whatever he could add to make it believable. 

Andre had gotten the story out of him after too many tequila shots. 

He had firmly told him to talk to Mario before any of this got worse. Marco almost laughed but ended up throwing up instead. God, he hated tequila. Andre was due for another visit soon and Marco didn't want to leave the couch island he had for himself. At least, he had his computer, and sardonically smiled, remembering Benni's advice of taking some time off his thesis. Well, he was, just not in the best way. 

He played another stupid game, trying to ignore the sounds of Julian making dinner. He had seen him cooking in action and was still mildly surprised about it. 

"How did you learn how to cook all that stuff?" Julian jumped banging his head on a cabinet. 

Marco hadn't been social, he felt sort of bad about it.

"Um, I was, I had a lot of temper tantrums as a kid. My mom made me help her cook instead of putting me into the corner or something. Now, I just do it....it helps me think through things." He added something green to the pot. Did he buy all the ingredients? Had Mats left him some sort of allowance? 

"Oh." Marco responded, wondering if Julian even liked him. He was probably telling Mats all about his terrible treatment. Benni would probably give him a talking to when he came back. Julian was like their adopted kid. 

"Yeah." The oven dinged and Andre knocked. Julian opened the door with his oven mitt on and quickly attended to the bread.

"Holy moly, it smells good in here. Is that fresh bread? Dude!" Julian turned splotchy red, but accepted high-fiving Andre. He cut up the bread and starting making up the plates. They were going to have spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread. Marco pretty much knew why Benni and Mats didn't protest Julian wanting to move in with them. Those assholes were going to get home-cooked meals.

They started eating. 

"Did you talk to Mario?" Andre ripped a chunk of bread in half. Marco glared. 

Julian furrowed his eyebrows. "Mario Goetze? He hasn't been in class this week. Everyone's saying he's with his bondmate since he isn't wearing his cuff anymore." Andre choked in his partial inhalation of food. Marco, who was a civilized person and used the table, dropped his fork onto the floor. 

"He isn't wearing his cuff anymore?" The scabbed over wound broke open and made Marco lose his breath. No fucking way.

He turned to Andre who looked like a chipmunk and was giving his throat a work-out by swallowing without chewing like an oversized snake-goat hybrid. Julian stood up and went into the kitchen to take cover and put away the leftovers. He hadn't known that's who Marco was moping over. No one had mentioned a name in the mission. Mats and Benni were gonna kill him.

Marco turned pale as he grabbed his Dortmund cuff like a safety blanket. It had to be a coincidence. He had his cuff on at the party, didn't he? He tried to remember but all he could remember was the kiss so he went back further. At practice, Mario had worn long sleeves. He'd been wearing long sleeves for a while. He had assumed it was because of the cold. 

He had been wearing the suit at the wedding, but he couldn't remember a hint of a cuff on Mario's wrist. 

"Get out," he whispered. Andre shot off the couch with his plate. He grabbed Julian by his shirt who protested before hearing Marco yell,

"GET OUT." 

He scrambled and closed the oven. They ran out of the apartment and put their back up against the door as if warding off a battering ram.

"Oh man, they're going to kill me." Julian groaned, panting from the adrenaline of dodging Hurricane Marco. They heard a couple of crashes and a door slam before silence. Andre looked at Julian with wide eyes and motioned to go to the elevator. Once it opened, he let out a deep sigh.

"You're a freaking idiot."

Marco dialed a number on his phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran for extra feels.


	11. Tage Wie Diese

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’ve waited weeks for this day  
> and I’m dancing on the asphalt with joy  
> as if it were a rhythm, as if it were a song  
> that keeps luring me through the streets  
> on my way to you, to pick you up,
> 
> -Tage Wie Diese, Die Toten Hosen

It had been a week since he kissed Mario, and he was still hiding from his apartment. Andre had just shaken his head when he requested more clothes. At least, he had gone back to class. 

Marco had called his sister after all and had a long, expensive talk with her. She had practically blamed herself for his "problem", saying she shouldn't have dragged him into her problem with Deirdre. She had cried, he had cried, but he still hadn't taken off his cuff. 

He hadn't talked to Mario either, and part of him still thought Julian's slip-up had been a long, drawn-out hallucination. Somewhere, he was sure someone was laughing at his expense. Him, Marco Reus, reader of all bond myths and statistics, being scared shitless of taking off his cuff, while knowing there was a name there. 

Robert had laughed at him when he explained he didn't know if he had a name. 

"So you're one of those?" Marco had flicked a piece of popcorn at his head and missed. They were watching some dumb vampire movie that he hadn't been paying attention to. Somehow they had gotten on the topic again, which wasn't unusual as they both were studying the phenomenon that plagued their society. 

"What do you mean, 'I'm one of those'?" He imitated Robert. Why were the vampires in some sort of wine cellar, what was with the barrel of blood?

"You know, perpetually afraid of knowing the truth. As opposed to the people who take off their cuff every night to check if they finally met their soulmate, or serial date for that purpose." Marco stuck out his tongue in response.

"Whatever. You know I don't care for the whole fated in the stars thing." Robert just chuckled some more. "For once, I think I have to disagree with you. How can you possibly fight something without knowing if it's there. You can't be certain. You could be bonded to someone right in front of you and have an 'organic' love story but then find out its all for naught, because you were bonded in the first place." Marco wrinkled his nose and then smirked.

"Are you coming onto me?" Robert raised an eyebrow.

"You know I'm too old for that shit." Marco shoved him. "Yeah, you're such an old man, boo hoo, I'm a year older than you, poor me."

He adopted a serious tone. "But you would tell me right? If we happened to be bonded, my name on your wrist, all that?" 

Robert smiled, "Now who's dreaming?"

It was ironic, that Lewy both spelled out his situation and Marco's that day. He ground his teeth and stared off into space. Robert had fought his bond, knowing it was there, but Marco was different.

He couldn't ignore it. He had genuinely liked Mario beyond what was on his wrist. He had gotten his wish of falling in love without a bond interfering, but then it had all fallen apart. Mario didn't want him and Marco could respect that decision because he knew how an unhappy bond went though his sister's experience. He wouldn't put anyone through that. 

A knock on the door. He sighed, getting off the couch.

"I'm still mad at you, you know." He told the door and opened it to find Mario with a bag.

"Andre made me bring this over. I'm sorry." Marco felt sick. Fucking Andre meddling with his goddamn life. He still let him in, because he was an idiot who liked to suffer. Stupid, stupid Marco.

"Marco," he began and Marco closed his eyes, maybe if he didn't have to see him, it wouldn't hurt as much. He couldn't resist for long. At least Mario didn't hate him. He did have one question though. 

"Why did you kiss me back? I mean, It doesn't have to mean anything, but I thought it did." He tried to shut up, god why did he have to ask. It would probably be better in the long run if he would get swallowed by the earth, maybe struck down by lightning or something. Then he wouldn't have to worry about anything like exams or papers.

"You're amazing. That's why, Marco. You're smart and a good friend and I want you to be happy." Marco shook his head in disbelief. 

"What?" 

"I'm just a dumb waiter trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life. And you don't want _this_ to be happy," He tugged at his sleeve. "You want freedom and choices and everything you like to talk about so I'm not going to push you into it. I mean you have Robert out there in the world of choices and I get it. I was going to tell you, I really was, but I was afraid you'd react badly. I stopped wearing my cuff since the day of the wedding because that's when I wanted to tell you, then you started talking about Robert and well,"

Mario paused and Marco pounced on it.

"No, wait, hold on." He was shaking like a leaf, trying to take in more air to finish his thoughts. "I don't want Lewy. He's not what I want, okay? And you're not dumb, don't ever say that to me or in my vicinity again. You're smart, you work hard, and it always takes time to figure out life. I got lucky that ranting about the state of the world is acceptable in some classes. People helped me along the way, and sure, Robert was one of them, but he's not--I'm not in love with him." He hoped Mario could hear the unspoken _I'm in love with you._ because he was out of words, between talking to his sister and this, his mind was all jumbled. He knew it would be simpler to just accept that Mario and him were soulmates and not worry about anything else, but he was stubborn and couldn't leave it alone. He couldn't just leave it up to chance. 

Mario dropped the bag and walked up to him, looking determined. 

He hugged him and Marco couldn't stop himself from tearing up. 

"I'msorryI'msosorry." Mario shushed him and rubbed his back. "It's okay. It'll all be fine."

Marco finally felt relief.

\---

'Lukas Podolski retires from the modeling world to start own business, turn to page 39 for more on how Prinz Poldi found love and a new life.'

"So, how do you feel being a free man?" Monika teased as she flipped through the magazine. She had gotten one of the first copies since she had also been involved. Mats had done a good job in the interview, keeping it straightforward and giving the unfolding story some heart. It was a good balance between the three of them talking. She especially loved the pictures.

They had decided to keep it low-key, where it all started in Lukas' London home. Thomas had contacted Miro to do the photography as a surprise to both Mats and Lukas and it had been a completely comfortable experience. She had wanted copies of all of them, but settled for the one of all three of them in the middle of laughing on the white couch. Monika was smiling and Bastian was in the middle of retorting while Lukas was just laughing, hanging onto the couch arm. 

She had a feeling Mats would go very far with his easy going yet direct attitude in journalism.

"It feels like catching up on years of sleep, and eating what I want when I want." Monika swatted at him with her bag, missing on purpose. 

"Oh, how lucky." Lukas grinned like a little boy and went to hug her, spinning her around. 

"Yes, I am. Where are you going to next?" Monika shrugged. "Oh you know, this and that, New York." She broke with a squeal. They had finally gotten everything sorted and her stuff out of London. She had stopped by to say goodbye, taking her globe- trotting a little more freely, now that Lukas was out of the picture. Her guilt over wanting to take longer and more exotic jobs was extinguished. 

"Great, get me one of those I love NY hats for Bastian. It can be his Christmas present." He joked and Monika knew he had a ring hidden somewhere for that exact purpose, but that didn't mean she shouldn't start thinking of a present for the skier. 

"Sure, sure, tell Basti I said hello and goodbye. I should get going." He gave her another bone-crushing hug. 

"I will. Be sure to free up your schedule for Christmas!" 

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world." She winked and left. 

Lukas puttered around the kitchen, looking through the book of recipes he had picked up one afternoon, hoping to polish his rusty cooking skills. The coffee maker was blinking silently and steadily dripping. Bastian padded into the room pretty silently, but Lukas still knew he was there. He had a sixth sense for it. 

Bastian wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed his neck. "Hey," He rested his chin on Lukas' shoulder, still sleepy. 

"I thought I heard Monika." Lukas put the book down. 

"Yeah, she was here. She left for New York. I told her to get me a pretzel." He turned around to give him a kiss. Bastian made a face.

"Bavarian is better." Lukas smiled, wondering if he would ever get used to these quiet days with his soulmate.

"I know."

\---

"Stop preening in the mirror or giving yourself a pep talk and let me see it." Mats shouted through the door. Marco scowled in the mirror.

"No, I told you, it's done. I'm over it." The doorknob wiggled and Marco sighed. He thought he looked decent enough besides his slightly unprofessional cuff. He was a proud supporter and it was pretty significant, maybe even lucky.

"You let Benni read it but I can't? I'm the journalism major here. You're ruining my marriage, Reus! You're making Benni choose sides." Marco opened the door to hopefully hit Mats. He didn't succeed but the dark-haired man whistled. 

"Aw, look at my little baby bird all grown up. What is this, date number three?" Marco looked away embarrassed at his best friend being such a mom. He didn't know how Julian could take all of his coddling. The knock on the door signaled he could get away from the demon-spawn. He opened the door to a flushed Mario, probably from the cold. He had his coat on his arm and twisted the gauge in his ear in a nervous tick. 

He caught a flash of his handwriting and his heart fluttered a bit.

"Wow, you look great." Marco flushed at the compliment. 

"Be home by midnight, or not. God, just put out already, go home, we don't want you here anymore....unless you let me read your thesis!" Marco pulled Mario back and slammed the door on Mats' shouting. 

"Sorry, he's still whining about it." Marco apologized and gave Mario a once-over, noting he wasn't as dressed up as he was. 

"Where are we going?" Mario smiled impishly. "No, no it's a surprise. Don't worry, you don't have to change." 

They got to his car, where Marco gave him his keys, and threw his thesis in the backseat to sit in the passenger seat. Mario laughed and started the car. 

"So can I read it sometime, or is Benni the only one privileged enough to?" Marco smiled crookedly.

After the emotions were sorted, and they had talked about where they stood. Marco showered and powered through a revision of his thesis. Hansi had shaken his hand in congratulations, knowing it was the best work he could've handed in. Mario had been patient with him, taking their relationship slow, going on dates and hanging out without the shadow of their fated souls interfering. He still wore his cuff, but knew he would take it off soon, when he was ready. 

They were still roommates, and Mario hadn't put his cuff back on. Lewy called it exposure therapy, Marco and Mario had gotten back at him by getting Jerome drunk and locking them in a room together. 

Robert had stopped sleeping with Woj and was currently trying to live with himself as a single man. He was working on his issues with a therapist instead of psycho-analyzing himself.

"Maybe, oh Andre mentioned something when we got lunch today." Mario briefly looked confused but kept his eyes on the road, tapping a random beat on the steering wheel. 

"He said you slept in my room when I was at Mats'." 

"Oh, that. Haha, well, don't worry, all the black and yellow was pretty disorienting to wake up to." Mario laughed nervously. 

"Oh well, I guess I'll have to share space with Berni Bear then." Marco said lightly, waiting for Mario to catch up to his own plans for tonight. 

Mario's breath hitched. "We have to celebrate first." He said slowly, as if reminding himself about their date plans. Marco grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together.

"I know."

Mario squeezed his hand.

Everything would be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did the "I know." line twice in this chapter because I was referencing Star Wars. 
> 
> "I love you." "I know." I'm a giant nerd. Sorry not sorry.
> 
> And it also alludes to Marco and Poldi getting over the unknown quality of their relationship problems. They've got the knowledge and they're not as scared of it anymore. 
> 
> Thanks to everyone who commented and left kudos and bookmarked. I originally was gonna leave it at 11 chapters for 11freunde because I'm sentimental like that but I'll have a holiday epilogue up soon.
> 
> I'm also going to go in depth with a Schweinski sidestory of that month they had together. So be on the lookout for that if you want more.


	12. Let Your Heart Delight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holiday epilogue!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist, not with that "engagement" picture floating around. Lukas you're killing us.

They had hired a team to decorate their new home(closer to their families but all for themselves). Letting a small contingent of press come into their house and touch the baubles and the wreath winding the banisters was a surprise move. Lukas had become an advocate for acceptance of multiple bonds, and the public couldn't get enough of it. There were the tabloids that tried their best to take every picture out of context, making up scandals, but for the most part, it had been a successful risk-taking. 

The genuine smiles in pictures and the subsequent articles published of Lukas and Bastian were not ridiculed, but embraced. More people had come up to them to congratulate them for speaking out and using their influence in their spheres of work for the better than not. 

Monika had been quoted as saying, "If it weren't for the fact that you could visibly see the love they have for each other, I don't think it would've worked half as well as it did. No one can deny that Lukas and I made a good-looking couple, but Basti and Lukas have something completely different than I had with Lukas. They have something quite special and I will enjoy seeing it develop further."

The scandal of Monika and Lukas "breaking up" had not been as bad as Micha had thought. The media hadn't crucified Bastian for coming between the golden couple and he mused that because Bastian was a man, it hadn't had the same impact as Sarah's bond. 

Many of their friends had tweeted or spoke up for Lukas and Bastian. They hadn't even been the most interesting gay couple to hit the news that week, as Olivier Giroud proposed to Mathieu Debuchy during the European Cup Qualifier between France and England. When asked if it was a stand against homophobia in the sport, 

Olivier had shrugged and answered with, "I didn't intend it to be, as we both support our national team and enjoy watching the sport. It only felt right to propose as they got the first goal of the match. But I also do not stand for homophobia, my good friend Lukas once took me to an Arsenal game and we got jeered at for being two good-looking blokes enjoying ourselves at a game and I do not think that is right. Love can exist between every gender and in many forms. I love my mother, and I love my Mathieu but it is different, because I feel it differently. 

And you cannot blame one's heart for feeling the way it does towards another person. I do not know why people would judge if a football player fell in love with another football player or if the milkman were to be with the baker any differently than any other recognition, because we have names yes? And there should be no shame in it."

Lukas had sent his french friend an invite to the Christmas party which had been replied to with a yes, of course Lukas, I must come see the man you left me for in person. Bastian had laughed at the note and decided to get the french couple an extra present as a thank you for making a bigger spectacle than they had with their bond.

Their party wasn't formal but Lukas had his present for Bastian in a ring box and he had decided to wear a suit with a red tie for the occasion, citing host duties as the cause. 

"Well, if you're wearing a suit, I should wear one too. I'm the co-host." Lukas chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment before getting an idea. "Wear a green tie, that way we're both in the spirit and no one will say otherwise." 

They had hired (and invited) Philipp to bring the sweets table. He had brought many gingerbread men and hearts decorated by the kids Per and Marco mentored which had delighted the couple. They had entertained the little Julian Lahm as his father finished frosting the cake in their brand new kitchen. It was a Christmas tree, complete with snow and trimmings. Bastian had been amazed at Philipp's work, applauding the man as he presented the finished cake.

They had a chocolate, caramel, and white chocolate fountain station with various treats to dip. 

It was a perfect Christmas set-up, even if it was not yet the 25th of December. They had decided to not host a party on the day of, because they didn't want anyone to miss spending time with their families. Bastian and Poldi themselves were going to have their families over on Christmas eve. 

"This is perfect, Lukas. Merry Christmas." Bastian kissed his cheek in gratitude. knowing the Polish man had put in a lot of work into the whole affair. 

"Ah, wait until you get your present, then it'll be perfect." Bastian shook his head softly, amused at Lukas' excitement. He had been hiding the present for weeks now and the Bavarian had an inkling of what it was, but enjoyed his bondmate's persistence even with the many forms of interrogation Bastian had resorted to. 

"No, it already is, being here with you is all I could want for Christmas, but getting our friends all together to join us makes it even better." Lukas turned, eyes filled with love for the man next to him. His Christmas present was two-fold and he couldn't wait. Every Podolski had rings made up for their bonded. It was a tradition, not exactly in line with proposal but special all the same. He had brought Monika to get Bastian's ring, but hadn't told her about her own. Traditionally, they were inscribed with something personal and two-toned, to signify the friendship and romance aspects, but Lukas had added his own touch with the blessing of his father and grandfather.

He hoped it added to the perfection of the night.

\---

"Are you sure I'm not under-dressed?" Melanie pulled at her sweater, wondering if it was enough, maybe she should have gone with the blouse and blazer. Marco opened the bathroom door and looked at her outfit. "You're fine, Poldi's not like that, besides he can't judge, he dresses like a frat boy when he's not in designer wear." Mario rolled his eyes next to him. 

"You can wear the leather jacket, it'll make it pop." Marco eyeballed him like he was looking at an alien and not his boyfriend. Andre was still confused on how Melanie ended up being her brother's plus one instead of Mario, but Marco deemed it unnecessary to explain. 

Mario was still going to the party, but was hitching a ride with Andre and Montana(who adored the shorter man since they first met), Mel had argued that she needed more time to prep herself. It was a Christmas party filled with celebrities and friends, not a family celebration where she could be her usual self. The trio of guys had been confused at her rationale, since their friends were pretty much family, not "celebrities". 

"Fine, I'm just gonna hog Marco for more brother-bonding." Marco gave her such a flat look of annoyance, Mario couldn't help but laugh. They had been sharing space with Mel for a couple of days before the Reus siblings went down to their parent's house and Marco was already sick of not having any alone time with Mario. 

Mario had gotten to see the sort of kids they were as Mel was constantly on the younger Reus, squabbling over the littlest things, which made a lot of sense as to why he picked dumb fights with Mats all the time. 

The brunette left the apartment with a trail of fingers down his arm ending in a squeeze to his hand in goodbye. Marco was going to have his first present for Mario tonight and had Mel use this excuse to separate them for a bit and not arouse any suspicion. "I'm proud of you, Marco, you know. It's going to be great." Mel patted his cheek and grabbed the keys because she was definitely "the superior Reus driver". Marco locked up and knocked on Jerome's door as the signal that they were leaving and left his key on the door mat.

He raced down the stairs to the car.

\---

"J'accuse!" Mats shouted as he saw Mel and Marco come in. The shout cause everyone to look at the sibling and Mel burned red under the attention of--wow there were a lot of models in the room. "You twerp." She hissed at Mats, while waving a little awkwardly. Lukas Podolski(Mel wasn't even straight but holy god, Prinz Poldi) came up and greeted the two. 

"Sorry for the commotion. Mats already had some Gluhwein. It's over there. Welcome to the Schloss or Schweinski Schloss as Mats keeps calling it. If you have any presents, put them under the tree in the foyer. We'll be opening them at midnight." He gave them a pearly white grin and Mel was dazzled. Marco kept his hands in his pockets, checking he still had his present on him. He was wearing a nice knit deep blue sweater that Mel had shoved at him when she arrived from the airport. It was super soft and Mario couldn't stop touching it when Marco had it on. He went as far as stealing it one night, which had almost killed Marco. 

Being cockblocked by his sister was the worst. 

"I know you're up to something, my little rooster." Mats crooned in his ear and Benni came up to hug Marco as if he hadn't seen him yesterday for dinner. They had decided(without Mats because Mats was a terrible drunk who would've spilled any and all secrets) that Mel would stay with the husbands tonight after the party, but then again, Benni always hugged people with all his might. How did Satan end up with such a good guy, Marco wondered. 

"Mats get off, and stop drinking, you're already sloppy." Melanie and Mats hated each other deep down or so they claimed, really it was the other way around. They both kept Marco close and didn't want to share, add to that they were eerily similar in personality, it was a cannon waiting to explode. 

"Sloppy? Who are you again? Did you hear anything Bene-babe, because I heard nothing." Andre and Mario were by the chocolate fountains and Bastian was talking to Sergio Ramos who had a sweater on that screamed ugly. Suddenly Marco was really glad he didn't go with the traditional Christmas sweater route. 

"I know, it's like a reindeer ate a Christmas tree and threw it up on his sweater. I couldn't convince him otherwise. At least it's a natural attraction repellent." A voice next to him startled the blonde. Iker Casillas, Melanie was going to have a heart attack, was the one who had spoken up. His description of the heinous sweater was pretty accurate. Casillas' was wearing gold, fashion models were weird, Marco decided. The Spaniard pulled it off but it was an oddly flowy shirt. 

"Yeah, how much did he have to pay for that?" Probably worth more than his life.

"He got it for free, fell in love with it and the designer gifted it to him." Iker ruefully replied. He was staring pretty intently at the eyesore and Marco wasn't sure if it was the man's way of trying to set it on fire, or expecting the sweater to animate itself and run away.

"Well, it's an abomination, I'm Marco Reus." Iker held out a hand to shake, Marco took it.

"Iker Casillas Fernandez. Pleased to meet you. Excuse me, I'm going to rid the world of that...abomination." Marco saluted and headed over to Mario who was looking at the gingerbread hearts. 

"Find one you like?" Marco raised an eyebrow as Mario flushed. "No, I was just looking at them. Your class did these right?" Marco nodded, remembering the mess that had happened in Lahm's bakery having over twenty kids decorate gingerbread. 

"C'mon, grab one, all that hard work shouldn't go to waste." Mario looked doubtful, glancing at his already full plate. Marco had a suspicion that Mario hated the holidays because of all the weight gaining food, but Marco thought he looked fine as he was. They ran in the park sometimes and still met up for football practice, and Mario swam nearly three days a week. Marco picked a heart at random, with stars and smudged iced lady bug on the bottom of the heart. He broke it in half and handed a half to Mario.

"Cute, you're getting crumbs all over." Mel commented before taking a little gingerbread man with zigzags for herself. Mario smiled and put the half heart on his plate. Marco wanted to yell at Melanie for ruining the goddamn moment but took it as a good sign that Mario hadn't rejected the heart. 

"Stop sulking. I'm leaving you alone for the whole night, it won't kill you to wait a couple of hours more." His sister whispered and Mario perked up, trying to overhear. Marco sweated but grabbed Mario's hand and steered him in another direction. 

The party was in full-swing as the music ranged from holiday songs to upbeat dance songs. It was a little strange but Marco figured Poldi had made the music selection and no one complained, mingling and steadily drinking. He saw Sergio had stripped off the sweater at some point to drape it on Iker's shoulders like a cape. Iker looked like a grumpy cat that had been collared against its will.

Bastian was making rounds around the room talking to all of the guests and being a marvelous host while Lukas gave himself a bit of a pep talk upstairs. 

"You can do this, it'll be easy, no pressure. He loves you, you love him, why wouldn't he want to spend the rest of his life with you. You're his soulmate, Podolski, have no fear." He jumped at a knock on their bedroom door and Bastian's friend Schkodran Mustafi poked his head in. 

"Basti says you should come down. It's almost midnight." Lukas nodded.

"Okay, I'll be right down." He squared his shoulders and channeled his inner David Beckham. The ring box was burning a hole in his pocket, but he was ready. Bastian Schweinsteiger wasn't gonna know what hit him.

Marco was in the bathroom that was definitely bigger than his room(his old room, their guest room, and now where Mel was staying) in the apartment. He shoved his sleeves up and took the wrinkled yellow ribbon out of his pocket. It was wide enough to cover the handwriting on his wrist, but it was a little tricky to tie it without help. He should've tied it in the apartment and slipped it off for later. 

He was finally going to ditch his cuffs(except for the BFF Dortmund special-edition one Mats got him.) He had gotten used to it when Mario and him were alone, and he slowly stopped wearing it around Mats and Benni but still hadn't gotten around to doing it on a daily basis, out in the world. He was finally ready. 

Marco knew it didn't bother Mario, that he was patient with Marco's issues revolving the bond, but over the month, he had slowly been adjusting to the idea. He liked that Mario's name was on his wrist. It wasn't some unknown danger waiting to spring a trap on him. Mel had talked him through some of his fears. 

"We're different people, Marco. Dee and I would never work but you and Mario are a different story. I don't know why I was marked, but I don't--it might sound terrible, but I don't think it was all bad. I got to know myself a lot better. I rebuilt myself and I came out of it stronger. Sometimes, I think soulmates are people you need in your life for a purpose and many, many times it's a good purpose, but other times, it'll hurt and it'll change you. Soulmates aren't there to make you happy, they're there to keep your life going, catalyzing a reaction in yourself--like your purpose will always change after meeting that person, but in the end, you choose them and they choose you to be there for the rest of it. And a lot of people take that for granted, but you, little brother, have always had your eyes wide open. 

You've got it, but now you have to put it in practice. Stop wasting time, Coco. Mario is trusting you to be in this for keeps. You gotta trust him back, not flinch every time the hammer comes down. You have your own story to write, nobody really repeats history unless they repeat the words they've read once before and where's the meaning in doing that?" 

He was in love with Mario, and it was time to show the world that he wasn't afraid of that love.

"Marco?" Mario knocked softly on the door. Marco pulled down his sleeve over the bow. 

"I'll be right out." He turned the faucet on, splashing a bit of water on his cheeks. He was warm in a good way, he hadn't drank much, knowing this time he would be driving them back. 

He heard a commotion in the other room. This part of the house was dark with only the windows for light, and Mario stood leaning against the wall. Marco could never take his eyes off of him. He had a theory in his head, something like once you meet the right person, you're compelled to keep them in sight, to keep touching them, to have one sense focused on them at all times. Not out of possession, but out of some weird reflex maybe, Plato had said humans were fearful because they were born with two souls joined as one, so maybe it was their souls trying to get back to that state. Some part of him was supposed to be Mario's and that's why he couldn't touch him long enough, couldn't look at him enough, because it still registered as two bodies instead of one.

"Are you okay?" Mario could probably ask him that a hundred time and Marco would have a hundred different responses for this moment. 

"I'm fine, great actually, Come here," Mario didn't hesitate and Marco grinned, burying his fingers in Mario's hair to give him a kiss. Their surroundings faded away for brief seconds as he felt Mario respond with vigor, biting and licking into his mouth, running his hands down his chest and getting under his sweater. Marco leaned back a bit, getting his libido under control. It had been a very long stay, but they would have their time tonight to make up for Melanie getting between them. 

"Wait, wait. This isn't your surprise." Mario looked confused, his hands still warm against Marco's hips. "I didn't-I mean I thought we were doing presents after Christmas." They were going to spend the day with their families separately, before Mario would come to the Reus household for a couple of days and Marco would spend New Years with Mario's family. 

"Yes, but this is different." Marco wrapped an arm around Mario and led him to the window. He licked his lips and pulled his sleeve up, presenting Mario with his arm.

"What-oh." Mario stared at the pale yellow ribbon by the light of the moon outside and cleared his throat. "Are you sure?" He met Marco's eyes. They held nothing but overwhelming love and affection, a bit of nerves that melted into happiness as Mario touched the ribbon as if it would fall apart at any moment. He tugged at the knot, knowing what he would find but still eager for it. Marco wasn't shy about him wanting to see his mark, but Mario never wanted to push.

This would mean he could see it all the time. He threw the ribbon away to turn Marco's wrist up. He had never loved his handwriting more than in this moment, seeing it on Marco's skin. He kissed the wrist and kissed Marco, lightly as a thank you. 

"Thank you. I love you. I love you so much." Maybe Lukas and Bastian wouldn't mind if they used their bathroom to make out for a bit, surely there were other bathrooms in such a big house.

\---

Midnight hit and it was "Merry Christmas" all around, with Per Mertesacker dressed as Santa, handing out boxes of bon-bons to everybody. Presents were exchanged and hugs and kisses were received. Bastian waited for Lukas to get away from all the well-wishers. Monika almost laughed at the impatience in Basti's face, knowing Lukas hadn't planned on being mobbed by his guests with gifts. Olivier especially took his time to pat Lukas' ass and wink. 

"Mon ami, danke for the sweets, and the tickets. Maybe we should double-date yes?" Lukas distractedly said yes. "Well, I see this beauty can no longer keep your attention. I'll leave you to your beloved." Olivier joked and went to get Mathieu. Lukas practically bound in a single leap to Bastian.

The german stood by the Christmas tree, having looked through the sizable pile to not find anything from Lukas. "Where's my present?" Bastian looked adorable with a santa hat and a frown. 

"Happy Christmas," Lukas opened the ring box in his hand. Bastian's expression morphed into shock. People started whispering about the proposal happening. Thomas had already set up camp and was taking shots of the moment. Miro was right next to him doing the same.

"Does this mean...?" Lukas smiled and bent one knee. "Well, what do you think? It's Podolski tradition to get rings for both your soulmates but I want us to get recognition, I want us to share our lives forever. Will you have me, Bastian Schweinsteiger?" Bastian helped Lukas stand properly. 

"Of course I will you silly man, forever." He hugged him tightly before Lukas put the ring on his finger. The ring was sterling silver, made of two rings that fit as one and had engraving on the edges of the rings with their initials and forever inscribed on them. 

Monika's ring, which was probably still sitting under the tree next to them, was made up of three thinner gold rings that interlocked, symbolizing their friendship, inseparable and making a greater whole. Lukas had gotten himself a ring with a bit of influence from both the others, two toned with silver edges and a thin gold band in the middle. 

Lukas kissed Bastian and Per started the fake sparkly snow canon on the second floor. Everyone clapped and whistled for the couple. It was an unforgettable Christmas party with friends who were like family, sharing a special moment with the hosts. 

"Thank you everybody, for making this night special for me and my fiance." Lukas handed out the rest of the presents with his hand still held in Bastian's. 

Outside, it started snowing. 

"Opa and I got some good shots, don't worry." Thomas winked as he shook the couple's hands. Their guests started dispersing, pairing off to leave and get cars. Andre learned a valuable lesson from Thomas' escapade with Manuel and Christoph, so he wondered out loud,

"Where's Marco and Mario?" 

(Mats had interrupted them in the bathroom having to piss out all the alcohol he had consumed, and they congratulated the hosts with mussed hair and dilated eyes before leaving. Mel and Mats argued the whole ride home and Benni almost gagged them both.)

"Why did you agree to scatter rose petals and candles for them?" Robert asked Jerome from his spot on the couch. Jerome left the kitchen and handed the polish man a mug filled with hot chocolate. Robert ate a whole sea of marshmallows in one gulp. Jerome lifted a corner of the blanket and settled next to Robert to un-pause the movie they were watching.

"It's Christmas." He shrugged. Robert took another sip of the hot chocolate, curling his toes under the blanket. 

He scooted closer to Jerome and bumped their shoulders together slightly. 

It was Christmas after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bastian's ring: https://www.etsy.com/listing/62857697/two-piece-puzzle-ring-sterling-silver
> 
> Monika's ring: https://www.etsy.com/listing/64818403/14k-gold-filled-original-puzzle-ring
> 
> Lukas' ring: https://www.etsy.com/listing/198407377/two-tone-mans-wedding-band-er11s 
> 
> (except with smoother silver parts on lukas')
> 
> Follow me on tumblr at miroklosely :) This is the first multichapter story I've ever finished, and I have to give a shout-out to the footy ficathon for inspiring me(I have so many new ships!) Thanks to everyone who kept waiting for more.


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